Abstract
Directional verbs are widely used in modern Chinese. Their constructional changes can be traced back to the Directional Serial Verb Construction in old Chinese. In this paper, we investigate the constructional changes of Chinese lai and qu from the pre-Qin period to the Medieval period from the perspective of constructionalization. This research demonstrates the following findings: Chinese Lai changes into directional verbs. The meaning of directional result constructionalizes the meaning of arrival state, but also persists the meaning of directional time and the causative meaning. Lai undergoes the changes from time deixis to state of affairs in the Medieval period. Chinese qu changes into an intransitive verb and denotes the meaning of getting to somewhere. After a series of constructional changes, Chinese qu produces a new type node and denotes a new meaning. This research proposes that the constructionalization of Chinese lai and qu in SVCs is driven by the principle of economy, and the mechanisms of metaphor and metonymy.
Highlights
Directional verbs are a small subclass in modern Chinese
The Chinese lai and qu include these features, such as directional, transitive, causative, auxiliary, non-directional, complemental, metaphorical and temporal meaning. When it comes to the constructional changes of lai and qu, we explore that the form-meaning of lai and qu changes in the framework of constructionalization theory
Previous studies about the directional verbs lai and qu have been explored from the perspectives of syntactic level and pragmatic explanation. These researches cannot explain the motivations of change lai and qu, and cannot pay attention to the meaning and form of change lai and qu in the constructional framework. When it comes to the constructional change of lai and qu, we explore that the form-meaning of lai and qu change in the framework of constructionalization theory
Summary
Directional verbs are a small subclass in modern Chinese. Verbs lai 来 and qu 去 are the most typical and pervasive words in this construction These words can appear by themselves, or work together with other verbs, to indicate direction, space, development and changes of things. The Chinese lai and qu include these features, such as directional, transitive, causative, auxiliary, non-directional, complemental, metaphorical and temporal meaning. When it comes to the constructional changes of lai and qu, we explore that the form-meaning of lai and qu changes in the framework of constructionalization theory
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