Space in Languages of China

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-vii

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2. Space: A Cross-linguistic perspective

   1. Introduction: How Chinese Structures Space

      • Xu Dan

      Pages 1-14

   2. Chinese Localizers: Diachrony and Some Typological Considerations

      • Hilary Chappell, Alain Peyraube

      Pages 15-37

   3. Syntax Of Space Across Chinese Dialects: Conspiring and Competing Principles and Factors

      • Danqing LIU

      Pages 39-67

   4. The Linguistic Categorization of Deictic Direction in Chinese — with Reference to Japanese —

      • Christine Lamarre

      Pages 69-97

   5. The Locative Words in The Waxiang Dialect Spoken in Guzhang, Hunan

      • Yunji Wu

      Pages 99-117

   6. From Locative to Object Markers: The Parallel Development of Two Postpositions in Bai

      • Jingqi Fu, Lin Xu

      Pages 119-141

   7. The Role of Visual Space in Sign Language Development

      • Shun-chiu Yau

      Pages 143-174

3. Space in Synchronic and Diachronic Chinese

   1. Asymmetry in the Expression of Space in Chinese —The Chinese Language Meets Typology

      • Dan Xu

      Pages 175-198

   2. Two Conditions and Grammaticalization of the Chinese Locative

      • Chaofen Sun

      Pages 199-227

   3. Origin and Evolution of the Locative Term HÒU ‘Back’ In Chinese

      • Fuxiang Wu

      Pages 229-247

   4. The Inessive Structure in Archaic and Medieval Chinese: An Evolutionary Study of Inessive Demonstrative Uses From Archaic to Early Modern Chinese

      • Qingzhi Zhu, Wenjie Chen

      Pages 249-266

4. Back Matter

   Pages 267-275

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Space has long been a popular topic in linguistic research. Numerous books on the subject have been published over the past decade. However, none of these books were based on linguistic data from Chinese and expressions of space in Chinese have been largely neglected in past research.

In this volume, not only Mandarin Chinese (the standard language) is investigated; several other dialects, as well as a minority language of China and Chinese Sign Language are studied. Cross-linguistic, synchronic and diachronic approaches are used to investigate phenomena related to space.

The authors of this book present different points of view on the expression of space in language and related theoretical issues. As the contributing scholars argue, Chinese shares many common features with other languages, but also presents some particular properties.

Space is a topic that is both classical and modern, of enduring interest. These studies of space give insight into not only general linguistics but also other domains such as anthropology and psychology.

• Chinese
• Grammaticalization
• Japanese
• Locatives
• Syntax
• Typology
• dialects
• language
• linguistics

From the reviews:

"This book presents a collection of papers on the study of various linguistic and cognitive aspects of the category of space in different languages of china … . the volume provides the reader with a deep theoretical insight into the study of the language representation of space and it will foster further research based on the linguistic data from other language. … the book constitutes a rich source of information for the scholars from various branches of linguistics and other studies related to it." (Irina Borozdina, The Linguist, June, 2009)

• INALCO/CRLAO, Paris, France

  Dan Xu

Dan Xu is currently Professor of Chinese Linguistics at the Oriental Languages and Civilisations Institute of Paris (INALCO) in France. She graduated with a PhD in linguistics from the Sorbonne University in Paris in 1987, and completed her Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches from INALCO in 1998. She was elected and served as a Dean of the Chinese Department of the INALCO (2001-2004), and president of the Association of Chinese Research and Teaching in France (AREC, 2002-2004). In 2004 she was elected as a board member of the International Association of Chinese Linguistics.

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