简论甲骨文字频的两端集中现象

On the Two Concentration Features of the Character Frequency of Bone Inscriptions

字频调查表明,甲骨文字频具有少数高频字占总字量的高比重和在总字量中占极低比重的低频字占单字总数的极高比重的两端集中特性。通过剔除卜辞程式内容前后的数据比较,对比殷商铭文、战国楚简卜筮祭祷文献、《春秋》等材料的字频状况,可以认为甲骨文的这种字频现象与文献程式和内容虽有一定联系,但更本质的意义则是反映了殷商汉字断代特点:高端集中与文字表达语义以简驭繁,低端集中与文字记录语言内容的专用化程度相联系。

The character frequency of bone inscriptions shows two features： a small number of high-frequency characters take a large proportion of all characters in bone inscriptions materials, and a small proportion of the low-frequency characters in bone inscriptions materials take a large proportion of the total number of bone inscriptions characters. Excluding routine content of buci（ 卜辞）, comparing with the character frequency of other literatures, such as inscriptions on bronze inscriptions in Shang（商） dynasty, bamboo inscriptions of divination and sacrifice in Chu（楚） of Warring States Period, and Chunqiu（春秋）, it can be concluded that although this phenomenon has a certain link to the style and content of bone inscriptions, in essence, it reflects the periodisation characteristics： in Shang（商） Dynasty, high-frequency characters were used to express complicated meaning with simple characters, and low-frequency characters were due to degree of specialization while writing language with characters.