汉语中表达动量的数词与动量短语的消长

The Growth and Decline of Numerals and Phrases for Verb Quantifying in Chinese

从古至今,汉语动量表达总趋势是动量短语对数词的逐步取代。通过对上古、中古、近代数十部文献中表达动量的数词与动量短语的比较分析,发现动量短语对动词的取代过程表现为:数量上,直接表达动量的数词渐少,动量短语渐增;结构上,数词所在结构趋简,动量短语所在结构趋繁;语义上,数词直接表达动量对数词、动词的选择趋严,动量词对数词、动词的选择趋宽。汉语分析性的增强及汉语动补结构的影响,是造成这种取代过程的主要原因。

Phrases are gradually replacing numerals in verb quantifying or action measuring in the evolutionary progress of Chinese language. A comparative study of verb quantifying numerals and phrases through dozens of literatures in ancient, medieval, modern Chinese language has revealed how the replacement has taken place. The number of numerals capable of quantifying verbs directly has been declining while that of verb quantifying phrases increasing, verb quantifying construction has been getting simpler in numerals but more complex in phrases, and verb quantifying numerals demands stricter collocation with verbs but verb quantifying phrases allow freer collocation of numerals and verbs. The increasing analytical feature and the resultative construction in modern Chinese account for the change.