Comparative Research On Form Signs Of Form-sound Compound Characters In Oracle-bone Writing And Determinatives In Hieroglyphic

Both Chinese and hieroglyphic are mature classic writing systems,both combined ideographic and phonographic symbols to form words,which is classified as "form-sound compound" words.Oracle-bone writing is the representative of the oldest Chinese characters,there was a certain amount of "form-sound compounds" in it.The "form-sound compounds" showed a strong developmental tendency,when the time of "small seal script" came,it had become the most important way to build characters;the most common way of word building in hieroglyphic is "form-sound compound",most words displayed a combination of form and sound,that is to say, "form-sound compounds" occupied decisive positions in both writing systems,so comparison between the "form-sound compounds" in both writing systems will be significant in the understanding of the two writing systems.Inheriting the difference-seeking method and comparing oracle-bone writing and hieroglyphic from the traditional "six-writing" angle method of previous scholars,this dissertation compared the "form-sound compounds" of the two writing systems, especially the differences between the two when it comes to their meaning expressing methods and functions.Comparison is the main part of this dissertation,which is conducted from five different perspectives:the first one is the comparison between the numbers of form signs in oracle-bone writing and determinatives in hieroglyphic, the amount of form signs in oracle-bone writing is 81 according to Li Tong,after being carefully examined,it is decided that the amount of form signs in oracle-bone writing is 75.As to the number of determinatives in hieroglyphic,we adopt Sir Alan Gardiner's opinion,which is 102;the second one is comparison between the ways "form-sound compounds" are formed,there were a lot of ways how "form-sound compounds" came into being in oracle-bone writing,like adding phonetic signs to ideographic characters,adding form signs to "phonetic loans","meaning compounds" double as "form-sound compounds",etc.while there was only one way how "form-sound compounds" were formed in hieroglyphic,that is to add determinatives to phonograms;the third one is comparison between both the positional and combinational relations of "form-sound compounds" in the two writings;in the fourth part,comparison is carried out after classifications of form signs in oracle-bone writing and determinatives in hieroglyphics,the reasons why form signs and determinatives can be compared are stated in part 4.1:basis of comparison between form signs in oracle-bone writing and determinatives in hieroglyphics;starting with numerous heterography in oracle-bone writing,the last part is a comparison between heterography in both writings.From all the comparison results,it is found that:compared to hieroglyphics,the "form-sound compounds" in oracle-bone writing is in its preliminary developing stage, they can hardly be called a system,the development of all form signs is unbalanced; the main function of form signs is to indicate the categorical classifications and the semantic differences of "form-sound compounds" rather than their concrete meanings, that's why the function of form signs can be summed as:categorical indication;form signs in oracle-bone writing displayed a strong characteristic of free-hand brush works since its early times,while determinatives in hieroglyphics were realistic. Because "form-sound compounds" was the product of oracle-bone writing at its early stage,the Systematization and independence of their character-building were rather poor.However,as an important way of Chinese character-building,"form-sound compound" has showed great vitality,its later rapid speed of development is enough evidence of its superiority.