| The modal adverb “X Shi(X 实)” has a high frequency of use in modern Chinese and Chinese history,but scholars’ research on this kind of words mainly focuses on case studies or comparative studies from the synchronic level.This study attempts to make a systematic study of this kind of modal adverbs with definite meanings.The core meaning of monosyllabic morphemes constituting this kind of words is discussed based on the“core meaning”theory and the semantic and its formation reasons are analyzed.The reason for the formation of its two tone structure is analyzed from the core meaning.Then,the formation and semantic evolution of these words are discussed with diachronic materials.Now we can divide the modal adverb“X Shi(X实)”into three levels:first,“Shishi(实实)”and“Weishi(委实)”are directly derived from the reduplication and compound at the lexical level,while“Queshi(确实)”and“Zhenshi(真实)”are derived first from the parallel word formation at the lexical level after grammaticalization.Second,it is developed through the descending development of phrase structure at the syntactic level,including the biased structure of“Shenshi(甚实)”and“Qishi(其实)”,and the verb-object structure of“Kaoshi(靠实)”and“Zhuoshi(着实)”;The third is the more special“Dishi(的实)”,its formation may go through two paths,one is from“Di”(的)and“Shi”(实),which indicate the meaning of“queshi”,and the other is from the noun“Dishi”(的实)extended into an adjective and then grammatically converted into an adverb of mood.And the formation of the new modal adverb“Shushi”(属实)is emergent,which may be more from the pragmatic realization.This paper makes a comparative study of the modal adverbs of“X Shi(X实)”which are still used in modern Chinese.They are“Queshi(确实)”,“Zhuoshi(着实)”,“Weishi(委实)”and“Shushi(属实)”in mandarin.It is found that the commonness of these four synonymous modal adverbs is that they are often used in declarative sentences,which can judge the authenticity of an event or situation described above,and also play a role of strengthening the mood.However,there are also many differences in their use.First of all,from the syntactic position,the position of“Queshi(确实)”is more flexible.From the difference of affirmative content,the use of“Queshi(确实)”is the widest.Its affirmative content can be either definite or indefinite.From the difference of confirmation process,“Queshi(确实)”can be paired with both relative degree adverbs and absolute degree adverbs,“Weishi(X实)”tends to be used with the absolute degree adverbs that express the maximum amount,and“Zhuoshi(着实)”tends to be used with the absolute degree adverbs that express the high amount and the low amount.It is found that in the process of formation,development and evolution,in addition to their own individuality,there are also many commonalities.The motivation for the formation of such words is the role of syntactic position,semantic factors and highfrequency use.The mechanism includes cognitive chunking,reanalysis and the constraints of bisyllabic and prosodic mechanisms.At the same time,it has the semantic characteristics of expressing truth and affirmation in semantics.Its development and evolution have gone through the process from describing the authenticity of objective things or situations to expressing the speaker’s affirmative judgment on things.This evolution path has been proved by cross language,that is,words expressing the category of authenticity in English,Japanese and Korean have also experienced this evolution path.Scholars pay less attention to such an evolution path,which deserves attention. |
