Semantic classification of contemporary Chinese verbs

Authors

  • Екатерина Юрьевна Занина St. Petersburg State University, 7–9, Universitetskaya nab., St. Petersburg, 199034, Russian Federation

Abstract

This is an attempt of a semantic classification of contemporary Chinese verbs based on common grammatical features in verb groups that are determined by their inner semantics. As a model, the author uses a universal predicate classification described by Vladimir Plungyan in “An introduction into general morphology: a tutorial” (M.: Editorial URSS, 2000). Chinese verbs appear to easily fit into its framework which suggests the universal nature of semantic categories. One of particular difficulties in Chinese language is interpreting the meaning of an isolated verb stem, as it only reveals its true meaning within a syntactic structure. The author provides a large number of examples corroborating these conclusions.

Keywords:

Chinese language, verb, semantics, classification, verbs of state,, verbs of events, bounded (telic) process, unbounded (atelic) process

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Published

2010-06-21

How to Cite

Занина, Е. Ю. (2010). Semantic classification of contemporary Chinese verbs. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Asian and African Studies, (2), 186–201. Retrieved from https://aasjournal.spbu.ru/article/view/1938

Issue

No. 2 (2010): Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Series 13. Asian Studies. African Studies

Section

Linguistics

License

Articles of "Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Asian and African Studies" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.