Pivotal constructions in Chinese : diachronic, synchronic, and constructional perspectives / Rui Peng.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Peng, Rui, author.

Series:

Studies in Chinese language and discourse ; 8.

Studies in Chinese language and discourse: 1879-5382 ; 8

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Chinese language--Grammaticalization.

Chinese language.

Grammar, Comparative and general--Grammaticalization.

Physical Description:

xix, 243 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Amsterdam ; Philadelphia : John Benjamins Publishing Company, [2017]

Summary:

This book presents a detailed analysis of the Chinese pivotal constructions (PVCs) and their diachronic developments from a constructionalist perspective, with the focus on the growth of the constructional hierarchies of these constructions and the changes with respect to both the form and meaning properties overtime. The most important enabling factor behind the diachronic developments of the PVCs has been the sanction of the new instances conflicting with the constructions? specifications. Throughout history the PVCs have grown along the two dimensions, i.e., inclusiveness and multileveledness, leading to a steady increase in the sizes of their constructional hierarchies. The two-dimensional expansion of the PVCs? constructional hierarchies has been accompanied by the gradual relaxation of the conditions constraining the earliest instances, on multiple schematicity levels. This book will be valuable to scholars working on diachronic construction grammar and language change as well as to those interested in the history of Chinese language.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Peng, Rui, author. Pivotal constructions in Chinese

ISBN:

9789027201881

9027201889

OCLC:

961414328