Research on Reduplicated Words in "Selected Writings and Elegies"

Author: Guo Long
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: The study of lianjinzi is an important yet challenging topic in both glossology and Chinese lexical studies. The significant difficulty of this subject stems primarily from the fact that it is not a purely lexical issue. There are two crucial research perspectives: one is the phonetic characteristics of ancient Chinese, and the other is the written forms of ancient words. It is a classic interdisciplinary topic in the study of literature, language, and script, and without a solid grasp of "xiao xue" (the foundational studies of ancient Chinese), it is difficult to delve into.
Secondly, both key features of lianjinzi are shrouded in mysteries. First, the two Chinese characters used to write lianjinzi often exhibit a phonetic combination pattern of disyllabic and reduplicated rhymes. However, the issue of lianjinzi is not purely a phonetic one, just as the essence of phonetic etymology lies not only in phonetics but also in etymology. Second, on the surface, the two characters of lianjinzi cannot be disassembled for interpretation, yet the era in which they emerged was not one of Chinese bilingualization, making it unsuitable for inclusion in the history of Chinese lexical development.
Furthermore, for general words, the superficial meaning differs greatly from the deep-seated etymological rationale, and the two cannot be substituted for one another. In the case of lianjinzi, however, the meaning and origin often overlap. Clearly, studying lianjinzi requires theories that cannot be borrowed from existing lexical studies. Organizing and analyzing lianjinzi involves resolving the issues of meaning and origin, which is far from easy. A Study of Lianjinzi in the Fù of the Wenxuan is divided into three chapters. The first chapter, "Lianjinzi Theory," explores the theoretical foundations of lianjinzi, amassing a wealth of research findings that demonstrate the author's dedication. The second and third chapters focus on the organization and analysis of lianjinzi in the Fù section of the Wenxuan. This practical work is mutually reinforcing with the theoretical clarification and elaboration.