A Language-philosophical Study Of The Sentence-final Particle Y(?) In Zuozhuan

The study of function words has long been seen as an important research field in Chinese linguistics,and research on sentence-final particles(SFP in short)has attracted the interest of more and more scholars.This paper intends to analyze the SFP “yě”(也)in Zuozhuan from the perspective of philosophy of language.In this study,“yě” is regarded as a linguistic device serving to express meaning which is a basic topic in the philosophy of language.From the language-philosophical perspective of Saussure,the meaning expressed by “yě” as a sentence-final particle in Zuozhuan is understood as a linguistic value.To figure out the linguistic values of the SFP yě in Zuozhuan,this study will answer three research questions: 1)What linguistic values are the SFP yě used to express in Zuozhuan? 2)How are these linguistic values realized by the SFP yě in Zuozhuan? 3)Why can the SFP yě be used to realize these linguistic values in Zuozhuan?Based on Saussure’s theory of linguistic values,this study has established its own theoretical framework.Within the ancient Chinese SFP system,it tries to explore the linguistic values of the SFP yě from two approaches: by looking at its positions marked with different punctuations in various sentences;and by comparing it with surrounding SFPs(yǐ,hū and zāi).Some representative cases have been selected and analyzed after establishing a small corpus of Zuozhuan by using the corpus-based method.Findings are as follows:Firstly,in a static way,making judgment on the target component’s identity,status,relation,behavior and states is the major linguistic value of the SFP yě in Zuozhuan,i.e.the judgment value.Secondly,it serves to give explanation to specific information in statements,i.e.the explanation value.Thirdly,it helps to provide settings of time,condition,debate etc,or to show juxtapositions in declarative clauses,i.e.the setting value and the juxtaposition value.Fourthly,it affirms or supports the main modality in its compounds,i.e.the affirmation value.Lastly,it assists in forming query or helps express exclamations or strong emotions in the needed contexts,i.e.the assistance value and the exclamation value.This research has made two contributions.Theoretically speaking,studying the linguistic values of the Chinese SFP yě from the perspective of philosophy of language is an attempt as well as a progress,and it provides a new research orientation for modal particle study in other ancient Chinese classics.Practically speaking,the research will,to a certain degree,help students and readers to study this Chinese classic work and provide some guidance for teachers who teach classical Chinese works.