Chinese Semantics

Author: Jia Yande
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1999-09-01
Features: This book is based on the author's earlier work, Introduction to Semantics, published in 1986. The original Introduction to Semantics was an immature and relatively superficial book. Therefore, as soon as the author received the first copies of the book upon its publication in 1986, he had the idea of revising it significantly once conditions were ripe. However, the author wrote Introduction to Semantics with great care and deliberation. Many of its fundamental viewpoints, approaches, framework, chapter titles, and even the text and examples still strike the author as correct and worthwhile today. As long as they remain correct and worthwhile, the author has retained them as the foundation for the new book. In writing Semantics of Chinese, the author did not focus on preserving anything from Introduction to Semantics but instead devoted his efforts to supplementing it as much as possible, revising it repeatedly, and making some attempts. These efforts are primarily reflected in the author's attempt to lay some groundwork for establishing semiotics of Chinese. Since the author began researching modern semiotics, he has focused on integrating the theory and methods of semiotics with Chinese. This effort was already evident in Introduction to Semantics, though the integration there was not yet thorough enough. In this new book, the author made efforts and attempts in the following aspects:
1. To combine modern semiotics from abroad with Chinese, the fundamental point is to integrate the theory and methods of modern semiotics with materials and practices related to Chinese semantics. Here, the integration with research on Chinese information processing is particularly important. Because Chinese information processing cannot wait for foreign achievements—it must solve Chinese semantic problems itself—it requires new theories and methods of semiotics. This demands not only borrowing but also innovation; it calls for rigorous testing of the results of related semantic research over a broad area. In recent years, the author has participated in research on Chinese information processing and has gained some preliminary insights and experiences. After organizing them, the author has incorporated them into this book.
2. Research on modern semiotics should not break with history but should instead draw as much nourishment as possible from traditional semiotics and etymology. Although traditional semiotics also originated abroad, Chinese scholars have been using it to study Chinese for a long time. In this book, the author paid special attention to incorporating more of these achievements. As for etymology, it is a major advantage for the author. The author may not be very knowledgeable about etymology, but he highly values the treasure trove of Chinese etymology and has paid close attention to drawing from it in this book.
3. Currently, foreign scholars studying modern semiotics limit their research to the description of modern languages. While there is some justification for this when modern semiotics is still immature, the focus of the author's book is on modern Chinese. However, modern Chinese semantics is a continuation of ancient Chinese semantics, and modern Chinese semantics itself is constantly evolving. Therefore, this book also touches on ancient Chinese and discusses the evolution of Chinese semantics. The theories and methods of modern semiotics should not only be applicable to synchronic studies of language but also to diachronic studies, where they can be retested and enriched.
4. To achieve the above three points, relying solely on the existing theories and methods of modern semiotics from abroad is by no means sufficient. At such times, the author always proposes his own insights and approaches with great caution. When presenting his own views and methods, the author always grounds them in as much Chinese material as possible. Despite the author's efforts in the four aspects mentioned above, it cannot be said that this book has fully integrated modern semiotics with Chinese. Establishing semiotics of Chinese is not something the author can accomplish alone, nor is it achievable at his current level. It requires the long-term efforts of all Chinese scholars engaged in semantic research, including colleagues in overseas Chinese semantic research.
To write this book, the author referred to and consulted numerous relevant works, papers, and reference books both domestically and internationally, drawing on many viewpoints, insights, and materials. During his participation in academic and research activities, the author received enthusiastic help and inspiration from many experts and peers in linguistics and information processing, and he is deeply grateful for their contributions. Although the author cannot list them all here, he should express his sincere thanks to them. The students, graduate students, and visiting professors the author has taught have also shared some insightful semantic phenomena and ideas that inspired him, and he thanks them as well. The author is very grateful to Professor Xing Gongwan for his guidance and encouragement in his research on Chinese semantics. He is also deeply indebted to Professor Chen Liwei and Professor Dong Zhen Dong for their guidance and assistance in his participation in information processing research. The author would also like to thank Professor Ye Feisheng for his continuous care and encouragement throughout the writing of this book. He thanks him for carefully reviewing the entire manuscript and writing the preface. He also thanks Professor Tang Zuofan for his careful review of the manuscript for Chapter 13.
Publishing a textbook or academic work is not an easy task, and the author wishes to express his profound gratitude to Peking University Press and the editor-in-chief of this book, Liang Hueling, for their efforts in making this book available to readers. As early as the second half of 1986, the author began preparing for the writing of this book. He started writing in early November 1988 and completed the manuscript in September 1990. Afterward, he made significant revisions and additions, with the final manuscript completed in June 1991. The content of this book was used as a lecture manuscript twice at the Department of Chinese Language and Linguistics, Peking University, once in 1988 for graduate students and once in 1990 for undergraduate students. Modern semiotics is an emerging discipline that changes rapidly and covers a broad scope. The author's level is limited, and there are undoubtedly omissions, inaccuracies, and errors in the book. He sincerely hopes for the readers' criticism and guidance. The title of this book is Semantics of Chinese, which only indicates that, as a textbook, its nature and direction are in the field of Chinese semantics, not its level.