Historical Evolvement Of Semantic Field Of Chinese Plant Type Verbs

The thesis described, compared and analyzed the members of Chinese semantic field of Plant type verbs, and discussed its developing process from pre-Qin to Tang and Song, by the use of quantitative and qualitative analysis, the combination of synchronic research and diachronic research, traditional exegetics as well as the theory of modern semantic field theory. Linguistic materials were chosen from three periods: pre-Qin, Hjan Wei Jin South and North, Tang and Song. Then we surveyed and counted the monosyllables with Plant meaning. We studied and described the component situation of Plant semantic field in different periods, so we could study the alternations of these verbs in the history. To explore the law of their development, we diachronically compared Plant semantic field in different periods.The whole thesis was divided into three parts. The first part is the introduction, elucidating the meaning of selecting this subject and chosen research materials, introducing theoretic background and present situation of research, establishing the method and research thinking. The second part is the main part. We study from two angles: firstly, regarded the whole changing of the field as starting point, we described and analyzed the frequency of each member in typical literatures and the sememe difference of every glosseme Plant and the changing situation of the structure of semantic field, then diachronically compared and analyzed the changement of semantic field. Secondly, regarded specific member of sematic field as starting point, we researched every diachronic developing situation. We discussed from five parts: firstly, the historical evolvement of members of sub-semantic field of sow, secondly, the historical evolvement of members of sub-semantic field of transplant; thirdly, the historical evolvement of members of sub-semantic field of cuttage; fourthly, the historical evolvement of members of sub-semantic field of general plant; fifthly, the historical evolvement of members of sub-semantic field of general farm. The third part is the summary. We discussed some developing laws of vocabulary in the semantic field, and generalized some characteristics of this semantic field in the process of diachronic development, diachronically studying the whole semantic field and its every member of Plant type verbs in the second part.Making use of semantic field theory, to synchroniclly describe and diachronically compared semantic field of Plant type verbs, we could find and generalize the laws of historical evolvement. Then we can confirm its theoretic value for studying the history of Chinese vocabulary.