Multi-angle Research Of The Chinese Character "zai"(在) And Its Sentence Pattern

In modern Chinese, the character "zai"(在)is used frequently and have complex grammatical function. The character "zai"(在)is first used as a verb.In the process of its synchronic development and change,the character"zai"(在)gradually changes into a word with the coexistence of main preposition function as well as adverb and verb function,rather than the number of prepositions whose basic verb function disappear in the right course of grammaticalization.This article first describs the three kinds of grammatical function in detail in modern Chinese, focusing on describing two points, one is the characteristics of adverb function and the comparation with the character"zheng"(正)and "zhengzai"(正在).the other is the sentence distribution,grammatical meaning and grammatical function of its preposition usage. And then pursue its process of grammaticalization. first of all the article points out the six Grammaticalization periods of preposition usage:Qin is the preparatory period of Grammaticalization.Han is an initial nominal period of Grammaticalization. The Wei is the fast nominal period.Tang and Song Dynasties is the uiversal developped prieod of Grammaticalization. The Ming and Qing is a virtual leap in time and a slow ly developped prieod in modern Chinese. What's more,the article also describes and analysis its characteristics in asentence distribution, semantics and pragmatics and studies the impact of the character "yu"(于)on the process of Grammaticalization of its preposition function.Second, the article researches the source of its adverb usage and the course of its Grammaticalization of its adverb usage.Finally, the article uses the metaphor theroy of cognitive linguistics to explain the changed process.