北方人口较少民族语言词汇缺失现象探究——以语保工程民语资源调查材料为例

Lexical Gaps in Languages of Ethnic Minority Groups with Small Populations in Northern China:A Study Based on Ethnic Minority Language Resources Data Collected in the Language Protection Project

基于语保工程民族语言调研专项任务语料的相关数据统计分析,发现北方人口较少民族语言存在着程度不同的词汇缺失现象,主要表现形式为绝对缺失与相对缺失、义类缺失与义项缺失。词汇缺失在整体上呈现复杂性、不平衡性及非线性等特征,导致词汇缺失的原因可归结为自然环境与传统生计生产方式、语言结构特点、有无文字以及居住格局和宗教信仰等的不同。

Based on statistics and analysis of data acquired from the Special Task on Ethnic Minority Language Investigation in China’s Language Resources Protection Project(hereinafter as“the Language Protection Project”),this paper proposes that lexical gaps exist to varying degrees in the languages of ethnic minority groups with relatively small populations in northern China,which manifest mainly as absolute gaps and attritional gaps,involving gaps in semantic categories or gaps in meanings or senses.Generally speaking,lexical gaps are characterized by complexity,imbalance and nonlinearity.Variances in lexical gaps can be attributed to differences in natural environment and traditional means of livelihood and production,characteristics of linguistic structures,presence or absence of a writing system,as well as inhabiting patterns and religious beliefs.