再論推測副詞“可能”的來源

Further Discussion on the Origin of the Conjectured Adverb“Keneng”(可能)

語言來源的揭示必須遵循"先內後外"的原則,因為推測副詞"可能"的來源在漢語史中可以得到合理的解釋,所以它並非日語外來詞。它來源於漢語史上兩種形式的"可能",一種是表示現實"可以能夠"義的"可能1",另一種是表示"可否能夠"疑問義的"可能2"。推測副詞"可能"初見於明末清初,成熟於十九世紀,大量使用於清末民國初年以來的文獻。它的大量使用和發展既是語言內部發展的結果,也是日譯西方文獻外部影響的結果。

The revelation of the source of language must follow the principle of"first inside and then outside".Because the origin of the conjectured adverb"keneng"(可能) can be reasonably explained in the history of Chinese language,and it must not be a Japanese loanword.It comes from two forms of "keneng"(可能) in the history of Chinese."Keneng1",expresses"can be",while"Keneng2",expresses "can be or not",which has interrogative meaning.The conjectured adverb"keneng"(可能) was first seen in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty.It matureed in the nineteenth century and was widely used in the early Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China.Its extensive use and development is not only the result of internal linguistic development,but also the external influence of Japanese translation of Western literature.