“然”的词尾化考察

An Investigation on the Suffixation Process of"Ran(然)"

"然"字既可用作形容词词尾,又可用作副词词尾。虽同用作词尾,但各自的语法化途径却并不相同。形容词词尾是"然"用在"如/若+AP+然"的句法环境中,由"然"的拟象功能意义逐渐演变而来;副词词尾则是因"然"可及性降低带来"然"降格为"词内成分","X然"的固化成词使"然"进一步虚化所致。

'Ran(然)'can both be a suffix of adverb and adjective in Ancient Chinese.But each has undergone a specific process of grammaticalization.Being a suffix of adjective,'ran (然)'appears in the structure'ru(如) /ruo(若)+ AP + ran(然)',and has been grammaticalized through its iconicity.While the grammaticalization of the suffix of adverb'ran(然)'began with the degradation of'ran(然)'to a word-internal element with the lexicalization of'X + ran(然)'.