“洋盘”造词理据探析

An analysis on the formation motivation of the word“Yángpán (洋盘)”

通过考察相关文献资料及语言事实,文章认为"洋盘"的正体词形当作"羊盘",本为江湖切语,大约产生于明代;"羊盘"一词的生成,与洋人之事无涉,而与江湖切语"以羊喻人"有关,即当年江湖人通过转喻指代、隐喻映射的方式,造出"羊盘"(其字面义为羊脸,指代羊)一词来喻指不精明、不内行、容易上当的人,其造词理据在于愚蠢之人的特性有似呆笨之羊。

By reviewing relevant literature and language facts, this paper holds that the standardized form of "yángpán(洋盘)" is "yángpán(羊盘)". Originally, "yángpán(羊盘)" was formed in Ming dynasty and it is a jargon used by physiognomists. The formation of the word is not related to foreigners, "yángrén(洋人)", but the figurative use of the word. In other words, the physiognomists created this word by way of metaphor and metonymy, referring to a person who was not smart, not sophisticated and gullible. The motivation of "yángpán(洋盘)" shows that this kind of people have the same characteristics of silly sheep, "yáng(羊)".