Lü Jiping's Collected Works on Chinese Language

Author: Lü Jiping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: This book is a collection of articles by the Chinese linguist Lü Jiping on Chinese language issues, published in newspapers and magazines. It primarily consists of rigorous academic papers, supplemented by some short essays. The papers cover both research on linguistic theory and guidance on linguistic practice. This is the result of Lü's fifty years of experience in Chinese language teaching and research, making it highly valuable for reference. For example, "The Problem of Subject and Object" was a significantly influential paper in the 1950s syntax debate across the national linguistics community, and "The Issue of 'Breaking Sound' in Ancient Texts" sparked heated discussions after its publication in the journal Chinese Language in 1964. The essays in the book, on the other hand, use a more lively tone to analyze and explain issues related to the use of language and characters, as well as methods for self-study. For instance, in the essay "From 'White House' to 'Marmoset'," Lü addresses the misconception that White House is translated as "white residence" by "pro-American literati," and the misunderstanding of "marmoset" as "mother monkey" in Shuowen Jiezi. He explains the meanings and modern usage of these two terms in a clear and accessible way, emphasizing the importance of not relying on literal interpretations when understanding a word. Another essay, "Reflections on 'Lai Jin Yuxuan'," discusses the author's personal journey in understanding the meaning of the name "Lai Jin Yuxuan" during his youth, offering insights into methods of self-studying language and further exploring how to identify and solve research problems. This will be of practical help to readers aspiring to study and research language and characters. Additionally, Lü recalls anecdotes about masters such as Ye Shengtao and Lü Shuxiang, portraying their great character through everyday stories, in a sincere and moving style. The writing is elegant and classical, showcasing Lü Jiping's own literary prowess, which is worth appreciating.
This is an academic paper collection on modern Chinese, covering a wide range of topics:
1. Theoretical explorations, such as how to approach the issue of "breaking sound" in ancient texts today, how to define the scope of "colloquial phrases," and how to resolve issues in glossaries of colloquial phrases. The focus of theoretical discussions is on Chinese grammar, particularly syntax, such as the definition of subject and object, and the distinction between simple and compound sentences.
2. Explanations of Chinese linguistic knowledge and analyses of language and characters, such as the relationships between logic, grammar, and rhetoric, how to match parallel structures, and the usage of nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
3. Explorations of Chinese language standardization, such as summarizing the origins and developments of language standardization issues in China and analyzing current problems in this area.
4. Discussions on improving linguistic proficiency and language teaching, such as the cultivation of language skills and the role of Putonghua in language education.
Beyond these four aspects, the book also includes Lü's reviews of some linguistic works and articles, as well as prefaces he wrote for certain linguistic publications.