Research on Synonyms in the "Mencius"

Author: Zhou Wende
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-09-01
Features: 3. Homomorphic Combination Method
This method was proposed and applied in practice by Liu Shuxin (1980). Its theoretical foundation is, "In language, two words that refer to the same object are each linked with the same word that refers to another object, the two formed combinations must also refer to the same object." The "Homomorphic Combination Method" refers to: Suppose there are two words to be tested, "word A" and "word B." If you want to know whether their "objects are the same," select a "linking word" "word C" that can be linked with the given two words. If "A + C" and "B + C" refer to the same thing, then "A" and "B" are synonyms. As Liu Shuxin said, "If A + C and B + C refer to the same thing, then it can be concluded that A and B have the same object and are synonyms." For example, "greeting guests" and "greeting visiting guests" refer to the same thing, where "guests" and "visiting guests" refer to the same object and are synonyms. If the Homomorphic Combination Method is compared with the Replacement Method, it is found that the two are merely different in perspective and essentially have no distinction. Still using Liu Shuxin's example, it can be considered that "greeting" remains unchanged, while "guests" and "visiting guests" are still mutually replaceable. Therefore, some scholars have pointed out that this method is "essentially the same" as the Replacement Method. Chi Changhai, after a detailed analysis, concluded that the Homomorphic Combination Method and the Replacement Method "have the same effect in different ways" and that the two have a "superficial resemblance but a profound difference." More importantly, this method cannot be used to determine synonyms in ancient Chinese. The corpus of ancient Chinese is a closed system, and researchers cannot claim to provide examples as needed. If the literature being studied does not contain the "combinations" needed by the researcher, this method cannot be applied. Therefore, this method is difficult to use in the study of synonyms in ancient Chinese. In summary, the Replacement Method, Semantic Feature Analysis, and Homomorphic Combination Method are basically proposed for modern Chinese and have certain limitations in practical application. Their prominent feature is that they are all limited to example-based analysis, and different scholars often determine synonyms "with great subjectivity and arbitrariness," so the synonyms determined are naturally "not universally agreed upon, and some may even not be approved even by those who hold the same views." The above methods are not entirely suitable for the study of synonyms in ancient Chinese and cannot be used as a basis for determining synonyms in ancient Chinese. 3.2.5 Shame, Regret, and Guilt 3.2.5.1 "Shame" appears 19 times in the "Mencius." Below are the sentences where "shame" appears and the meaning of "shame" in those sentences: 107. "Mengzi Part 2": The people of Yan rebelled. The King said, "I am greatly ashamed before Mencius." (4.9/530) King Xuan of Qi sent troops to conquer Yan, and Mencius once advised King Xuan to "issue orders quickly, return their young people, stop their heavy weapons, consult the people of Yan, set up a king, and then leave." But King Xuan did not listen, and as a result, Yan rebelled. Therefore, King Xuan said, "I am greatly ashamed before Mencius." This means King Xuan felt very ashamed of Mencius. Thus, "shame" here means "ashamed." 3.2.5.2 "Regret" and "guilt" each appear once in the "Mencius." Below are the sentences where "regret" and "guilt" appear and the meanings of "regret" and "guilt" in those sentences: 108