On Negation with Fei in Classical Chinese

Abstract

The view that fei in a verbal sentence (especially when it does not immediately precede a nominal expression) serves to negate the whole sentence is re-examined. It is argued that to interpret occurrences of fei in verbal sentences simply as instances of sentence negation is to fail to recognize specific functions fulfilled by this particle. Passages are cited from Tsochuan, Lun-yu, and Meng-tzu, are are analyzed with a view to reinforcing the point that the primary use of fei is nominal negation. It is shown that, even when fei occurs between the subject and the verb, it frequently negates specifically the nominal expression that serves as the object of the verb, rather than the whole sentence. It is noted that there is a class of quantifiers in Classical Chinese that likewise modify the nominal expression across the transitive verb. Finally, it is suggested that a recent development in linguistic theory offers a plausible explanation for the curious fact that fei, which contains within it a copular element, is used in negating not only nominal predicates but also nominal expressions that serve other functions.