A Research On The System Of Words Denoting Demanding, Giving And Accepting In Zuozhuan

Having investigated the internal and external language factors, a research on the system of words denoting demanding, giving and accepting in Zuozhuan is made from four aspects: (1) the description and analysis of the structure of the semantic lexical system; (2) the constraint of the language factors on the structure of the semantic lexical system; (3) the cognitive and pragmatic regulation of the structure of the semantic lexical system; and (4) the living of the ancients reflected by the structure of the semantic lexical system.The structure of the semantic lexical system reflects the features of the semantic lexical system, including what members are in the system, what special meanings they have, which are the kernel members, which are the marginal members, which are hyponym, which are hyperonym, and so on. The focus of the description and analysis of the structure of the semantic lexical system should be on the special meanings of the words in the system. Based on the use of the words in Zuozhuan, and together with the analysis of the value and scope of meaning of them, the status of each word is determined in the semantic lexical system. Meanwhile a dynamic study on the semantic lexical system is made according to the collocation and exchange of words in the system.Language is a system, and lexicon is a subsystem of language. In the semantic lexical system, words cooperated and compete with one another. In cooperation, each word will have its own special meaning; in competition, the extension of the meaning of the words always stands side by side with forcing other words or with being forced to the marginal status in the system. The cooperation and competition of the words in the semantic lexical system are constrained by the lexicon system. This is what we call the constraint of the language factors on the structure of the semantic lexical system.In the use of words, the differences between words are ignored and they are treated as synonyms. When several words refer to the same referent from different angles, different images will be resulted in. Since they refer to the same referent, they are considered as synonyms. The boundary of the meaning is vague, and when the intersection of the meaning of several words reaches a certain degree, the meaning of these words will be consider as interlinked, and the words are synonymous. In the use of words, influenced by some socio-cultural-psychological factors some pragmatic division will be made among these words. This is what we call the cognitive and pragmatic regulation of the structure of the semantic lexical system.From the words denoting demanding, giving and accepting in Zuozhuan we can see that the interpersonal relations of the ancients were realized through two types of communication: (1) mutually beneficial communication between common people, and (2) power predatory between the ruler and the ruled. These two types of communication was the basis of the interpersonal and social relations of the ancients, and it was their way of life. This is what we call the living of the ancients reflected by the structure of the semantic lexical system.