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Innovation and Maturation (1930–1949)

  • Chapter
The History of Modern Chinese Grammar Studies

Abstract

After the publication of Li Jinxi’s “New Grammar of the National Language” in 1924, no new grammatical theories appeared in China for several years. Of the works introduced in the previous chapter, only Yang Shuda’s was published after Li’s, but this work belonged to the MSWT school and did not advance new points of view. Generally, books and articles on grammar published after 1924 either belonged to the MSWT school or adopted Li Jinxi’s system, the latter being dominant.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Rong Geng (1929), He Dingsheng (1928a, b).

  2. 2.

    Lin Yutang (1930).

  3. 3.

    Wang Li (1932).

  4. 4.

    Wang Li (1936/7).

  5. 5.

    Meng Qi (1936); about Meng Qi little is known; his engagement in linguistics is restricted to the 1930s.

  6. 6.

    In fact, as early as 1920 Li Jinxi had made a similar proposal for the “linked writing” (lianshu 連書) of characters; Li Jinxi (1921, app. 1–8).

  7. 7.

    Xian--> (1936).

  8. 8.

    Also compare the “separable verbs” in Dutch and German.

  9. 9.

    Written under the pseudonym Jiao Feng; Chen Wangdao (1936). “New Writing” (xinwenzi 新文字) was another name for Latinxua-->.

  10. 10.

    An underground daily published by the Communist Party; its contents were translations from foreign publications, hence its name: “Translation Daily.”

  11. 11.

    Chen Wangdao (1940b).

  12. 12.

    Chen Wangdao (1940c).

  13. 13.

    Liao Shuqian (1946); the actual publication was delayed because of the war.

  14. 14.

    Chen Wangdao (1943d).

  15. 15.

    The last publication influenced by the discussions is Chen Gang (1946).

  16. 16.

    Due to the war there was hardly any communication between them.

  17. 17.

    The combined war location of Peking, Qinghua, and Nankai Universities

  18. 18.

    See Xing Qinglan (1946).

  19. 19.

    See Wang Li (1946a, b).

  20. 20.

    Li Jinxi (1933).

  21. 21.

    Gao Mingkai (1940); his supervisors were Maspero and Demiéville.

  22. 22.

    Gao Mingkai (1941).

  23. 23.

    Gao Mingkai (1946).

  24. 24.

    Wang not only refers to Modern Chinese but to Chinese in every stage of its development; see Wang Li (1958).

  25. 25.

    Sima Qian, Shiji, biography of the Marquis of Liu; Sun Xun, “On the Marquis of Liu” (Lun Liu Hou 論留侯).

  26. 26.

    Vendryés (1923: 78).

  27. 27.

    Vendryés (1923:143 ff.).

  28. 28.

    Vendryés (1923: 146).

  29. 29.

    The meaning of gongneng --> in Modern Chinese is “function” or “effect.” “Activity” is Meng’s own translation: Meng Qi (1936:17). Other contemporary grammarians, notably Chen Wangdao, do use “function” as the translation of gongneng -->.

  30. 30.

    For the sake of clarity, we will translate Meng’s term gongneng--> with “function.”

  31. 31.

    Also see the table on p. 147.

  32. 32.

    Sweet (1892: 70–71).

  33. 33.

    Also see Chen Wangdao (1938a).

  34. 34.

    Zhang’s own English translations.

  35. 35.

    These are Fu’s early proposals for his revised theories; see Peverelli (1981).

  36. 36.

    Zheng/Mai(1964: 154–157).

  37. 37.

    Fan’s own English translations.

  38. 38.

    English by Fang, no Chinese translations are given.

  39. 39.

    See Wang Li (1937).

  40. 40.

    Edition used: Sanlian shudian Peking 1950.

  41. 41.

    This idea may be derived from Engels; see Stam (1976: 248–2a9).

  42. 42.

    Jespersen-->’s English terms.

  43. 43.

    Jespersen--> (1933: 78 ff).

  44. 44.

    Jespersen--> (1933: 91 ff).

  45. 45.

    Bloomfield--> (1935: 194 ff.); Wang Li (1945c).

  46. 46.

    Yang Lien-sheng (1947).

  47. 47.

    Wang Li (1948).

  48. 48.

    Wang Li (1944).

  49. 49.

    See Bloomfield--> (1935: 177–184).

  50. 50.

    Bloomfield--> (1935: 172–173).

  51. 51.

    Gao uses the following French and English translations: guiding -->, determinant; beiguiding -->, determiné; fanwei -->, qualifier; beifanwei -->, qualified.

  52. 52.

    Maspéro-->(1934); Maspero himself does not distinguish parts of speech--> at all.

  53. 53.

    Maspéro--> (1934: 42–45).

  54. 54.

    Maspéro--> (1934: 55).

  55. 55.

    Maspéro--> (1934: 42).

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  1. Faculty of Economic & Business Administration, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Peter Peverelli

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Peverelli, P. (2015). Innovation and Maturation (1930–1949). In: The History of Modern Chinese Grammar Studies. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-46504-2_4

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