情态词“难保”的形成及其相关词语用法分析

Analysis on the Formation of the Epistemic Modality Word“Nanbao”and the Related Usage

情态词“难保”是汉语中新产生的虚词。本文从共时和历时的角度对这个词的词汇化及语法化过程进行探讨,并试图分析其词汇和语法演变的机制。“难保”最初是一个状中式偏正短语,到宋代词汇化为动词,其动词用法的形成是多种因素综合作用的结果。清代中期,这个词渐渐转化为句子中无实在意义、表语法功能的成分,最终虚化为表推测的认识情态词,否定语境在这一过程中起了重要作用。

The epistemic modality word“Nanbao”is a newly generated function word in Chinese.This paper explores the lexicalization and grammaticalization process of this word from synchronic and diachronic perspectives,and attempts to analyze its vocabulary and grammatical evolution mechanism.“Nanbao”was originally a“pian-zheng”adverbial+head phrase,which transformed into verb in the Song dynasty.The usage as a verb was formed affected by many factors.In the Mid-Qing dynasty,the word gradually transformed into a component of the sentence with no actual meaning and only represented grammatical function.And finally it became an epistemic modality word expressing conjecture.The negative context played an important role in this process.