Analysis Of "Nai Li(?)" In Tongguan Dialect And Its Comparison With "Hen" And "Tai" From Perspective Of Linguistic Typology

According to geographical division, dialects in Shaanxi province are mainly composed of three parts, namely northern Shaanxi dialects, Guanzhong dialects, and southern Shaanxi dialects. As an important component in Guanzhong dialects, Weinan dialects have significant value. Being the most eastern county in Weinan, and located at the junction of Shaanxi, Shanxi and Henan province, Tongguan dialect shares many common characteristics with other Weinan dialects. While being a somewhat independent language variety, there are as many distinctive features, if not more, as shared ones in local Tongguan dialect."Nai li(?)" is a characteristic expression in Tongguan dialect. As an adverb of degree, it shares many common features of adverbs of degree—acting as an adverbial modifier or a complement in sentences, showing degree or extent of actions, quality or state. Meanwhile it has unique grammatical features and expressing features. It is not only an adverb of degree which is used most frequently and has the strongest degree, it can be used as a modal particle as well. The phrase "nai li(?)" itself can be an independent sentence which indicates sudden awareness of something and the feeling of regret.Based on theory of typology and applying methods of questionnaire, introspection and observation, this paper presents a comprehensive and detailed analysis of "nai li(?)" from perspective of linguistic typology, and summarizes structures, sentence types, and expressing features when it is used as adverb and modal particle. Through observation and study, "nai li(?)" can be used in the following three structures when used as an adverb of degree:noun/pronoun+adjective+nai li(?), noun+verb+adverb+nai li(?), ba+ personal pronoun+verb+nai li(?). The author also compares "nai li(?)" with "hen (?)" and "tai (?)" which are special expressions of adverbs of degree in Weinan dialects, and sums up similarities and differences among them. At the same time, the author tries to analyze grammatical functions, semantic and stylistic features of "nai li(?)" when it is used as a modal particle or as an independent sentence.As a dinstinctive dialect expression in Tongguan dialect, "nai li(?)" is used by less and less people, and is also Weinanized and Xi'anized gradually — "hen (?)" and "tai (?)" are replacing "nai li(?)" and appearing in native conversation about degree increasingly. Users of it also present phenomenon of aging. Although this paper is to observation and analysis of "nai li(?)", the author hopes that more scholars pay attention to characteristic expressions in dialect and record local featured dialect in detail.