汉语方言介连词 “两个” 的产生

Abstract

Chu, et al.（2006）, Jiang（2012） and Peyraube（2017） noticed that the Num+CL expression liangge（TWO） in Tongjinpu dialect in Hunan, Xiantao dialect in Hubei, and the dialects in the boundary area between Gansu and Qinghai functions as a comitative adposition as well as a coordinating conjunction. Nevertheless, the cause and the development pathway of such phenomenon is yet to be confirmed. Tao（2008） and Jiang（2012） argued that this is a result of grammaticalization, yet Tao（2008） believed that the pathway is [Num+CL ＞ Preposition ＞ Conjunction], while Jiang（2012） reconstructed the pathway as [Num+CL ＞ Conjunction ＞ Preposition]. Chu, et al.（2006） admitted that the diachronic development could not be reconstructed with the data from a single dialect. Peyraube（2017） argued that the polysemous liangge is a result of language contact, but the detailed process is yet to be provided.Due to a lack of dialectal data, previous scholars did not reach consensus on the development of liangge. In this paper, a pioneer study with cross-dialectal data will be presented. Combining previous reports with our field work in Hunan, Hubei, Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, the following arguments will be made:（i） the polysemous liangge is found in two major areas: Hunan and Hubei（the SW Chinese）, Gansu and Qinghai（the NW Chinese）;（ii） from the dialectal variations, the grammaticalization pathway of liangge is reconstructed as: [Num+CL ＞ adverb ‘together’ ＞ comitative adposition ＞ coordinating conjunction（for animate NPs） ＞ coordinating conjunction（for inanimate NPs） ＞ coordinating conjunction（for VPs）];（iii） the phenomenon that comitative adposition/conjunction is denoted by the numeral ‘two’ is attested in Tibeto-Burmese within and beyond China. This is also attested in Africa, Australia, Indonesia, etc., which have no direct geographical or genealogical relationship with Chinese. It is believed that the concepts of the numeral ‘two’ and the comitative adposition/conjunction are linked by our cognitive faculties. Therefore, the polysemous phenomenon [two = with/and] can be found in various languages.