从“写‘二’说‘两’”到“写‘两’”

The Diachronic Evolution and Synchronic Trend of “Er（二）” and “Liang（两）”

基于吕叔湘先生所说的“写‘二’说‘两’”的判断,重点结合“二”和“两”的读音、字形、语义和语用特点,分析两者的使用状况。从读音、字形的角度来说,“两”的响度大于“二”,有助于交际主体之间实现信息的传达;阿拉伯数字“2”在书写上更为便捷,“二”和“两”均不占优势。从语义角度来说,“二”与“两”的概念义与色彩义有别,在古代汉语中,“二”多用于指称平行二物,“两”用于指称“车之两轭”;在现代汉语中,“二”侧重于数字的本身,“两”更侧重于衍生泛指,同时“两”的褒义色彩又强于“二”。从语用角度来说,在与三类数词、量词的搭配时,无论是在书面语中还是在口语中,“两”的使用频率都要高于“二”。总体来看,呈现出既说“两”又写“两”的使用趋势。

This paper takes the synchronic and diachronic evolution of“er(二)”and“liang(两)”as the object,putting them into three interchangeable conditions,namely,positional number words,traditional measure words and momentum words,to discuss the characteristics of their usage,and based on Lv Shuxiang's trend of writin“g e(r二)”while saying“lian(g两)”,puts forward the trend of saying“lian(g两)”while writing“er(二)”.In this paper,it analyzed both at signifier and the signified levels.From the perspective of language signifier,“liang(两)”is louder than the“er(二)”,and according to the Cooperative Principle“liang(两)”is easier to realize the transmission of information between different subjects.Then the Arabic numeral“2”on the writing more easily,so the characters of“er(二)”and“liang(两)”do not have advantages compared to 2.From the perspective of language signified,the concept of the“er(二)”and“liang(两)”differs.“Er(二)”refers to the parallel things in the ancient time while“liang(两)”is used to refer to the two woods of the carriage.Now“er(二)”focuses on the number itself while“liang(两)”focuses more on derivative meanings.Besides the commendatory sense of“liang(两)”is stronger than“er(二)”,so“liang(两)”is more acceptable.