Studies On The Interpretation Epitheti Of "Four-character" Phrases In Modern Chinese Dictionary

Interpretation of a dictionary to entries includes the interpretation part and interpretedpart. The interpretation part often applys interpretation epithets, which are the given epithetsfor entry interpretation. Interpretation epithets mainly contain paraphrase epithets andform-explaining epithets. This paper studies the 1106 four-character phrases with initialphonetic letters from A to H in Modern Chinese Dictionary published in 2005 and makes areview and analysis of the interpretation epithets adopted there.Paraphrase epithets are used to explain word meanings. Modern Chinese Dictionary isrich and selective in paraphrase epithets, which are mainly composed of "metaphor anddescription". "Metaphor" epithets are used to explain metaphorical meanings and there are268 pieces of them in total;"description" epithets are used to describe the images, propertiesand states of things and matters, 273 pieces included in total;there are 35 pieces which usetwo epithets simultaneously. Classification and analysis are made according to the specificemployment of each epithet. we reach the conclusions. First, four-character phrases whichuse "Metaphor" or "description" alone are most. The usage of epithets in most phrases iscorrect, only one or two exist problems. Second, four-character phrases which use"Metaphor" ("description") and other epithets simultaneously is not large in quantity, but thespecific employment of each epithet is variegated. Third, the paraphrase epithet after thesource is not consistent as a whole.Form-explaining epithets are used to explain word forms. Form-explaining epithets forfour-character phrases in Modern Chinese Dictionary mainly include "also serve, alsoexpress". "Also serve" is used to indicate abnormal phrases and they are 12 pieces altogether.The quantity is not large, but the employment of epithet is different from the rule of ModernChinese Dictionary. "also express" is basically for different word forms caused by the changeof word order, morphemes and expressions etc, 131 pieces included in total. In this part, theemployment of epithet is consistent except one or two.