Lexicalization: The Origin and Evolution of Chinese Disyllabic Words

This book systematically analyses the historical sources and lexicalization of Chinese disyllabic words — a prototypical phrasal category — from diachronic and synchronic perspectives. This book systematically analyses the historical sources and lexicalization of Chinese disyllabic words — a prototypical phrasal category — from diachronic and synchronic perspectives. Lexicalization is the process by which non-word forms evolve into words over time. Based on extensive observations of linguistic phenomena in Chinese phrases and rigorous theoretical analysis, the book provides a detailed account of the lexicalization of different types of phrase, examining the evolutionary features and varying degrees of lexicalization exhibited by disyllabic words. This study sheds light on the evolutionary modes of disyllabic words and the broader lexical system of the Chinese language, paving the way for new research into Chinese word evolution. The definitions of phrases and words, and the semantic analysis of disyllabic words, also offer valuable insights into Chinese language processing and teaching Chinese as a foreign language. This title will appeal to scholars and students of Chinese linguistics, as well as language professionals and learners interested in the Chinese language and its distinctive features.