An exemplification of the Evolving Process by Studying the Chinese Character Mao

hwsy@overseaen.comISSN 1009- -5039htp://ww.overveaen.conOverseas English海外英语Tel:+86-551-65690811 65690812An exemplification of the Evolving Process by Studying the Chinese Character Mao周吉红,伍光琴’(1.荆楚理工学院外国语学院,湖北荆门448000,. 2.荆楚理工学院国际教育学院,湖北荆148000)Abstract: This paper tries to demarcate the evolving process of decategorization into three periods and exemplify it by studyingthe Chinese character Mao. The exemplification shows the correctness of the demarcation.中图分类号:H0文献标识码:A文 章编号:1009- -5039(2013)21-0294-03In general, the linguistic entity in decategorization will be actent. The difference is that they undergo decategorization at differ-companied by various features in three stages. These features wilbe helpful for us to distinguish stages the entity is in and also be of syntactic levels, while 羽mainly at morphological and syntacticgreat signifcance for dictionary compliers to make a judgmentlevels. To better ilustrate this point, let us start with the state ofabout whether to take in new items or not. In the process, the lin- two categories in Pre-Qin Dynasty.guistic entity begins its decategorization with sporadically oblain-Firstly, let us look at the state of two categories in Pre-Qin Dy-ing some atributes of a new category in stage I , the initial period,nasty. In this period, the Category YU(羽) includes such categorialmore and more in Stage II ,the intermediate period, representing members in terms of meaning referring to feather as >YU(羽)<,>the prime of decategorization, and then stable ttrbutes of the new MAO(毛)<, >HE(翮)<, >SHAO(酱)<. In this category, >YU(羽)YU(羽)< is often used together with othertion and decategorization will inevitably lead to recategorization.nouns to form compound nouns. Syntactically, it can be modifiedThe categorization process recycles again and again motivated by by adjectives, e.g. 翠羽( green feather ) and华羽(luxurious feath-decategorization. We maintain that:er), and can also serve as the object of verbs, e.g.被羽(to be cov-1) in Stage I: Old Categorial Atributes Dominate In terms of ered by feather), 拂羽(to touch feather sofly) , and藏羽(to hidecategoriality, the linguistic entity in decategorization in stageI is feather). The Category Mao( 毛) mainly refers to human beings'mainly characterized by its original categorial attributes. .hair and the fur of beasts. Only under occasional circumstances(2 )in Stage I: More Attributes of the New Category Olcan >MAO(毛)< refer to feather of birds. Therefore, >MAO(毛)MAOtributes from stage I to Stage I with the passage of time.(毛)< can only be used together with other characters to form com-3) Stage II: Relatively Stable Atributes of the New Categorypound words. It can not be used as the object or subject of any sen-Having gone through the initial period of stage I and the in-tence. Both its frequency in use and blending ability are far awaytermediate period Stage II ,the linguistic entity arrives at its ending from those of >YU(羽)<.The following diagram shows their respec-period with relatively stable attributes of a new category.tive categoriality.1 An Exemplification of the Evolving Process byStudying the Chinese Character Mao(毛)Mopologcally: form compoundMoplolial can foncopound nouns1.1 An analysis on the evolving process of the Chinese charac-Stacicaly modfied byter Mao(毛)aljatives seve笛dbeat of vetsadjecives, canbeobject of verbsSariclaly: hair andfur of bestsSemaially featherAccording to the categorization theory, the character 毛canbe classified into MAO category and羽into YU category. Accord-ing to the definition of linguistic decategorization, both words, seenFigure 1 Categoriality of YU Category VS Categoriality ofas linguistic entities, have experienced decategorization to some ex-MAO Category中国煤化工收稿日期:2013-09-17修回 日期:2013- 10-17MHCNMHG基金项目:该文为荆楚理工学院校级科研项目(项目编号sk201106)“对语言非范畴化的定义及其演变过程的研究”阶段性成果作者简介:周吉红(1981-),女,讲师,硕士;伍光琴(1970-),女,副教授,硕士。294 /鴻垩研究栏目责任编辑:谢媛嫒2013年11月.Overseas English海外英语When it came to Han Dynasty, Mao(毛)was found to replace ly with Yu(羽). The frequency of Mao(毛) in use does not showYu(羽) very occasionally to denote‘ feather'，while it still denotedmuch difference with that of Yu( 羽). Moreover, its grammatical'hair and fur ' in the vast majority of its usage. In the book Shi funetion and blending ability to form compounds with other nounsShuo Xin Yu, the character Yu(羽) was seen only once, rfring toand adjectives have been improved a lot with increasing frequencythe name of a person, while Mao(毛) was used for 5 times, denoting in use. More and more compounds composed of羽are subtitutedboth 'hair and fur’ and 'feather' . In Nan-bei Dynasty, Yu(羽) in with 毛,eg,金毛replacing金羽(golden feather), and鹤毛replac-a few compounds, for instance, ‘毛翼’,'毛扇' was substituted bying鹤羽(a crane feather). Besides that, Mao(毛) is used to formMao(毛) to form‘羽翼’and‘羽扇'.Historically, in the period such new compounds, e.g,孔雀毛(a peacock feather) ,风毛(afrom Han Dynasty to Nan- bei Dynasty, both categories remainedphoenix feather),绿毛(green feathers) and鸿毛(ight feathers) andnearly the same as that in Pre-Qin Dynasty. But diachronically, we so on. Syntactically, Mao(毛) can serve as a subject or object in acan not neglect the fact that Mao( 毛) began to form a compound sentence. V iewing from this aspect, >MAO(毛)< obtained most ofwith its meaning‘feather'. In this way, we take this period as stageattributes of the Category Yu(羽) and even extended its grammati-I ,the initial period of the evolving process of the categorial mem- cal function to serve as the subject or object in a sentence in theber >MAO(毛)<. As for its categoriality, the atributes of the Cate- form of a single word. However, Yu( 羽) often appeared in noun-gory MAO(毛) dominates. We can draw the fllowing diagram to il- noun or adjective-noun compounds with no other usages any more.lustrate their relationship.All these phenomena show that the development of Mao( 毛)reached its prime in Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties. Categorialityconcerned, more and more attributes of the category YU( 羽) were>MAO(毛)< >HE(翮)YU(羽)< J>MA0(毛1)<--riod.>DIG)>SHA0商K V >Ma0(毛)MA0(毛)MAO(毛)< is circled by a bold line.form of a single word to denote‘ feather'，while Yu(羽) can onlyIn the left cirle are members of the Category YU(羽) and its cate- serve as a morpheme and can not be used as a single word with thegory prototype >YU(羽)< is also cireled by a bold line. The over- meaning of feather' any more. As a morpheme, it can only belapped area includes the categorial member >MA0(毛)<. >MAOused to form phrases, and noun- noun or adjective- noun com-(毛)< is marked to distinguish itself from the prototype >MAOpounds. A lot of compounds or phrases with Yu(羽) still in use now-()< in the Category MAO(毛).Although >MAO(毛)< and >MAO adays generally derive from the fixed usage in the past. Yu(羽) rare-(毛)< take the same form in language use, >MAO(毛) only refers ly generates new compounds or phrases. Therefore, we maintainto the one whose meaning denles 'feather', while >MAO(毛)< that in Qing and Ming Dynasties, >MAO( )< fnished its deatego-mainly denotes human beings' hair and fur of beasts. Therefore,rization process symbolized by the stability of its obtaining attri-when calgorizing, Yu(羽) and Mao(毛) belong to two dferent cate- butes of the Category Yu(羽)， as shown in the fllowing diagamgories respectively. Each has their own categorial attributes shown(Diagram 5).中国煤化工in the below. Obviously, >MA0(毛)<, as a marginal member of theThree diag.[HCNMH G"w the evolving pro-Category YU(羽), it shares few atrbutes of the category YU(羽).cess of Mao(毛). ni uns prusD, navitU),a a unguistic entity, hasIn Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties, Mao(毛) competed fierce-undergone three stages of linguistic decategorization at semantic,本栏目责任编辑:谢嫒媛X通建研究 295Overseas English海外英语2013年11月process of Mao(毛) proves the correctness of our definition of lin-guistic decategorization and demarcation about it. Just as the exam-Norphologieally: can form conpound Morpbologieall: form compoundple shows, the decategorization of Mao(毛) from occasionally to sta-ousbly denoting 'feather’' has gone through nearly two thousand years,detireseve as objet of verbs, anbe subjet and objet in afrom Han Dynasty to Qing Dynasty. It vividly shows the dynamiccan't be used as a single vordsenfeace, ,can be used as a single wordand gradual feature of linguistic decategorization. The semanticSemaniall: featherSmatially: hair and fur of beast,(ablfeterchange is accompanied by grammaticalization and morphologiza-tion and they do not keep exactly the same pace with each other,which fits well the uneven features at multiple levels when decate-Figure 5 Categoriality of YU Category VS Categoriality ofgorizing. The context-dependent feature is shown in the whole pro-MAO Category in stage mIcess in that new categorial attributes are gained in concrete con-syntactic and morphological levels. In Pre- Qin Dynasty , Mao(毛),texts, and most significantly, losing older categorial attributes is al-as the prototype of the Category MAO(毛) enjoys the most categori-so a temporal phenomenon in concrete contexts because its olderal atributes 1) seantially, it refers to‘ men' s hair and the fur of calegorial atributes still exist in view that the linguistic entity, as abeasts' ; 2) morphologically, it can be used to form compounds; 3)member of the old category, still has a relatively high frequency insytacically, it can serve as a subject or objet in a sentence. As language use. Both losing the atibules of the old calegory and ob-an extremely marginal member of the Category Yu(羽), it can occa-taining those of the new category determine the context- dependentsionally denote‘ feather'. 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