“东西”本义辩及换喻思维

On the Original Meaning of DONGXI and Metonymical Thought

基于五行说的"东西"源由说不足为据。通过对东和西的甲骨文字形研究,V结合对相关历史和文化,特别是对川东盐业史的研究成果的分析,我们认为,东和西的本义分别是"粮袋"和"盐罐",代指"粮食"和"食盐"。"交换东西"就是用楚国的大米交换川东的食盐。通过三重换喻,两者最后成为指代一切物事的泛指词。东和西的意义衍变完全在人类换喻思维的框架内运行,其衍变过程和规律在换喻思维理论框架内能得到充分的、合理的解释。

Based on the theory of Five Elements, the root cause of DONGXI as a generic term is insufficient to be believable. By means of research of the characters of DONG and XI on the oracle bones and the study of the relative history and culture, especially the history of salt industry in eastern Sichuan, we are of the opinion that the original meanings of DONG and XI are Bag of Rice and Jar of Salt, referring to rice and salt respectively. The exchange of DONG and XI is just to exchange rice for salt. Through triplex metonymy, they have lastly become a generic term referring to almost everything. The transmutation of the meanings of DONG and XI accords with the rule of human metonymical thought , thus it can be explained in the theoretical frame of metonymy.