語氣詞“否”再論

Re-recognition of the Modal Particle Fou(否)

關於語氣詞'否'的來源,學界的觀點有二:其一,由否定副詞直接轉化為句末語氣詞;其二,由否定代詞'否'直接演化而來。本文通過分析先秦至隋唐五代時期'否'字句的結構形式、語法配置及語用功能,否定了前說,論證了當否定代詞'否'和隱括的謂詞性成分的話題主語不同時,'否'全部用在陳述句中,一般不會發生虛化。當否定代詞'否'和隱括的謂詞性成分的話題主語相同時,用在疑問句中的'否'之所以會虛化,是因為漢語疑問句系統尚不完善;正反疑問句到一般疑問句的轉化過程,也就是'否'由否定代詞轉變為疑問語氣詞的過程。'否'的虛化與其處在疑問句末有直接關係,受到'VP乎/耶'等類化,導致其否定義逐漸虛化。直到隋唐五代時期,'否''不'在語音、語義、語法三方面的完全對立促使'否'改變詞性,語義上失去'稱代性',結構上又失去'對應性',導致'否'由否定代詞虛化為疑問語氣詞。

The modal particle fou(否) is a frequently used preposition in ancient written Chinese. As for its original, there are two kinds of opinions: one insists that it is derived from negative adverb;the other maintains that it is derived from denial pronoun. The structural features and the evolutionary pattern of fou(否)can be expounded further by analyzing sentences with it in several ancient books and recourds from pre-Qin Dynasty to the Five Dynasties. This paper argues that denial pronoun fou(否)is not grammaticalized when its topic is different form the implicit predicative component. The denial pronoun fou(否)will be grammaticalized when its topic is the same as the implicit predicative component because the system of Chinese interrogative sentences is not perfect and can be converted at will. The process of turning the negative pronoun fou(否)into the modal particle one is the process of translating the question. The grammaticalization of fou(否)is directly related to the position-at the end of the sentence. At the end of the sentence, the relationship between fou(否)and the VP is more discrete, and the semantic relationship between the two is blurred. The negation use of fou(否)is gradually being misused due to the assimilation of the modal particles VP hu(乎)/ye(耶).fou(否)and bu(不)had been opposite in phonetic, semantic and syntax aspects till Tang and Five Dynasties when fou(否)began speech shift. With the semantics and the structure change came the birth of the modal particle fou(否).