从‘往’义动词到远指代词——上古汉语指示词“之”的来源

From Verb ‘Go' to Distal Demonstrative: On the Origin of Demonstrative Zhī( 之 ) in Ancient Chinese

上古汉语的"之"既可以作为‘往’义动词,也可以用作指示代词,两种用法之间具有内在的联系。考察显示,甲骨文中的"之"经历了"‘往’义动词>过去的(时间)>远指代词"这一语法化过程。这一判断得到甲骨卜辞语言内部、汉语史上"往、去"的平行演变、香港粤语"今"以及非洲乍得语的一些证据的支持。

There is an inner correlation between the two functions of zhī(之)as verb‘go'and as distal demonstrative in Archaic Chinese. The grammaticalization of zhīin the oracular inscriptions of Shang from verb‘go'to distal demonstrative via‘past(time)'is supported by evidences coming from the oracular inscriptions of Shang and parallel changes of other‘go'verbs such as wǎnɡ( 往) and qù( 去) in the history of Chinese and in some Chadic languages in Africa.