A Synchronic And Diachronic Exploration Of The Monosyllabic Localizer "Li(里)" And The Disyllabic Localizers "Limian(里面)", "Litou(里头)", "Libian(里边)" And The Disyllabification Effect Of The Localizers

The study of locational words is one of the major issues of Chinese syntax because locational words are the core realization means of space category, the basic category in human language. Unfortunately, a comparative study between Monosyllabic and two-syllable locational words has not arisen enough attention. Therefore, the dissertation takes as the object of study the monosyllabic localizer "li(里)" and the disyllabic localizers "limian(里面)","litou(里头)'', "libian(里边)'', which share similarity in meaning. Directed by grammaticalization theory and relevant theories out of cognitive linguistics, guided by the research method of synchronic and diachronic study, a qualitative and quantitative analysis and a combined way of description and explanation, the paper fully investigates synchronically the entanglement and division of and diachronically the evolution and alternation of "li(里)", "limian(里面)", "litou(里头)", "libian(里边)" and probes into the disyllabification effect of Chinese localizers.The thesis is divided into seven chapters, and the content of each chapter is as following:ChapterⅠintroduces the significance of the research, its research goal and research method, the previous study both at home and abroad.ChapterⅡexamines the reference system of the localizers with "li(里)".The use of "li(里)'',"limian(里面)", "litou(里头)", "libian(里边)" is discussed in terms of the reference category, and the spatial relationship between the referent and its target object, the localizer's referent scope.ChapterⅢdiscusses the entanglement and distribution of "li(里)","limian(里面)'', "litou(里头)'', "libian (里边)"synchronically at the syntactic and semantic level from the perspectives of serving as a morpheme within a word, serving independently as a syntactic constituent, and serving as a component in a localizer phrase. When serving as a morpheme within a word and serving independently as a syntactic constituent, "li(里)","limian(里面)", "litou(里头)", "libian(里边)"are clearly distributed with "li(里)" having a relatively strong ability of word formation and " limian(里面)", "litou(里头)", "libian(里边)''having a rather strong ability of functioning as a syntactic constituent. The entanglement of "li(里)","limian (里面)", "litou(里头)", "libian(里边)" lies in the formation of localizer phrases with NP. All of them can be used as a component in localizer phrases but differ in collocation objects, implication and collocation style. A collocation tendency is found and it is constrained by NP space property, ideographic characteristics of "li(里)","limian(里面)", "litou (里头)", "libian (里边)", the spatial relationship between reference and target objects, syntax elements, rhythm elements as well as stylistic factors. ChapterⅣtakes a quantitative analysis of "li(里)'',"limian(里面)", "litou(里头)", "libian(里边)"in various genre styles. Statistics show the big difference in their distribution, ability to be used alone, ability to be used post wards and co locative ability with NP.Chapter V investigates the historic evolution of "li((里)'',"limian(里面)","litou(里头)","libian(里边)"It detailedly describes, based on a qualitative analysis of 1,500,000 contemporary Chinese words, the decay of syntactic function of "li(里)" from Western Han Dynasty to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the change of the grammatical category of N(P), and the delocation process of the meaning of "li(里)"It also fully examines the origin and causes of the use of "li(里)'',"limian(里面)","litou(里头)'',"libian(里边)", and their development from the dynasties of Tang and Song to the dynasties of Ming and Qing.ChaperⅦconcludes the paper, followed by the deficiencies of the research and the follow-up study of the research.