Research Methodology of Modern Chinese Function Words

Author: Ma Zhen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-12-01
Features: Since graduating from the Chinese Language Department at Peking University in 1960 with a major in Chinese Language and staying to teach at the university, I have been engaged in teaching and researching modern Chinese. After the Cultural Revolution, I conducted research on Chinese disyllabic words and wrote and published "A Preliminary Study on Ancient Chinese Compound Words" (serialized in the 5th issue of Journal of Peking University in 1980 and the 1st issue in 1981). Starting in 1981, I took over the specialized course "Research on Modern Chinese Function Words" for senior undergraduate students in the Chinese Language Department, while also offering the same course to international students. From then on, my main focus shifted to the teaching and research of modern Chinese function words, which continues to this day.
The role of function words in language, especially in Chinese, has been extensively discussed by predecessors. It has almost become a consensus in Chinese grammar that function words are like the meridians of the human body, playing an extremely important role in language, particularly in Chinese. Language practice tells us that whether it is foreigners or Chinese people, improper use of function words is a common linguistic issue. How can students accurately understand and master the meaning and usage of Chinese function words? How can they discover and correct their own mistakes in using function words? How can students, after taking this course, not only learn the meaning and usage of certain function words we discuss but also gain a concrete understanding of the thinking process and methods for analyzing Chinese function words, enabling them to analyze, summarize, and describe the grammatical meaning and usage rules of a specific function word when faced with actual linguistic examples? These have been the questions I have been reflecting on since taking on the teaching and research tasks of modern Chinese function words.
I must find a way to give students the "key" to accurately understand, effectively master, and correctly use function words. To provide this "key," I first tried to analyze and research modern Chinese function words myself, while also requiring students to complete a large number of thought-provoking exercises (7–8 times per semester). The purpose was to encourage students to seek out materials and think critically, thereby cultivating their ability to identify, analyze, and solve problems when faced with specific linguistic facts.
In this way, over the past two decades, I have balanced teaching with research, continuously incorporating research findings into my teaching content. Meanwhile, the questions raised by students in class, their opinions and mistakes in assignments, have further driven me to think and research more deeply. Through this teacher-student interaction, research has advanced, and my understanding of how to study modern Chinese function words has been continuously deepened and accumulated. My lecture notes have also gone through several editions.
After teaching for over two decades, every class of students, whether Chinese or international, has found the course useful, rewarding, and enlightening, gaining both knowledge and methods. This brings me great comfort.
Writing the research findings into a book, I must thank Mr. Zhang Wanqi of the Commercial Press. Over a decade ago, when he learned that I was teaching "Research on Modern Chinese Function Words," he invited me to write a book on modern Chinese function words. Mr. Zhang Wanqi is slightly older than me, but he is my junior (I graduated from the 1955 Language Class, while he graduated from the 1957 Language Class), and we once jointly compiled "Examples and Explanations of Modern Chinese Function Words" during the Great Leap Forward era, so it was difficult to refuse. However, I delayed in delivering the manuscript as promised. Fortunately, he never pressed me, always saying, "When you finish writing, you can give it to me anytime." This relieved me of pressure, allowing me to think and write at my own pace.
What did I think about? Mainly, I considered what kind of book I should write. In the end, I decided to turn the "key" I gave to students into written form, seeking advice from my peers and hoping to contribute to the study of modern Chinese function words.
In my teaching and research on function words, apart from "Examples and Explanations of Modern Chinese Function Words," "Eight Hundred Words of Modern Chinese" and "Modern Chinese Dictionary" have always been my most important references. These three reference books have been of great help to me, especially "Eight Hundred Words of Modern Chinese" edited by Mr. Lü Shuxiang, which provided me with many insights and nourishment. I truly cherish this book.
Scientific research requires us to learn humbly from the achievements of predecessors while also making new discoveries and progress based on their work. It was this philosophy that encouraged me to, while frequently reviewing and citing these three books, also offer my own opinions on certain aspects. I have adopted a similar attitude toward other works on modern Chinese function words. Of course, whether the proposed revisions are appropriate or not still depends on the suggestions of my peers and readers.
Finally, I would like to thank Mr. Zhou Hongbo, Director of the Chinese Language Editing Department of the Commercial Press, and Ms. Su Juan, the editor-in-chief, for their strong support and hard work. Without their support and dedication, this book would not have been able to reach readers so quickly.
Ma Zhen
April 2004
Beijing, Luanqiying Residence