古汉语“及物”变读规则所反映的语言运作模式

Language organizational schemes evidenced by the transtivity-related pronunciation variation in ancient Chinese

着眼于古汉语变读系统中动词变读前后的词汇特征,可以发现不及物>及物变读有如下规律:(1)自主、不及物、动作动词,变读去声成为带处所、目的、对象、原因等非受事宾语的及物动词;(2)不自主、不及物、状态动词,通过清浊交替或是增加*s-前缀成为致使词。前者按主格/宾格模式运作,宾格是标记项,其标记互指于动词导致动词变读去声;后者按作格/通格模式运作,作格是标记项,其标记亦互指于动词导致动词变读清声母或增带*s-前缀。其实这两种形态标记的都是占据核心论元位置的非核心成分。综合不及物>及物、及物>双及物等变读用例可知,古汉语中主格/宾格、作格/通格两种模式分裂的主要基础是语义层面的词汇体范畴,即动词表动作还是表状态。典型的动作动词、状态动词的运作模式泾渭分明,非典型用例有自己的特色。除此之外,尚有其它运作模式。

A comparison of the alternates pronunciation of the variation related to ancient Chinese transtivity reveals the following patterns:(1) the agentive, intranstive, action verbs, when pronounced as Qu-tone, turn into transtive verbs taking non-patient objects like locations, purposes, goals, and reasons.(2) non-agentive, intranstive, state verbs, are transformed into causative verbs, by the alternation of voiced-voiceless or prefixed by *s-. The first pattern conforms to the nominative/accusative scheme, where the accusative case of object is marked, and cross-referenced with the verb, resulting in the use of Qu-tone. The second pattern conforms to the ergative/absolutive scheme, where the ergative case is marked, and crossreferenced with the verb, rendering the verb voiceless or prefixed by *s-. It should be noted that, the accusative and ergative case in ancient Chinese are oblique case, though taking the position of core case. It is discovered from the observation of the pronunciation of the variation alternating between intranstive > transtive and transtive > ditranstive, the split between nominative/accusative and ergative/absolutive scheme in ancient Chinese is mainly based on the aspectual meaning of verbs, namely action verbs or state verbs. For prototypical action verbs and state verbs, their correspondence to the case marking shcemes is clearly-defined. the non-prototypical instances are idiosycratic. In addition to the above findings, there are other organizational schemes.