Shanghai Dialect Class "pull" Plural Markers And Wu Fangyan Plural Markers

Although the plural forms of chinese dialects are very complicated,they are still systematic. Firstly, this dissertation starts from the Shanghaidialect word “la”, analyzing its syntactic function and explaining itssemantic feature. We define the plural terminations which arerepresented by “la” as quasi-plural marks, distinguished from typicalplural marks in other languages. The development of “la” hasexperienced a series of changes, tracing to its source in terms ofpronunciations and original characters, and finally “li” which meansplaces is set as the source of “la”. After that, the range of discussion iswiden to the region of Wu dialects. By classifying and arranging the30dialects of Taihu Lake region in Wu dialects, we get some general lawsin aspects of pronunciation, geography and composition. Exploring thereason of formation, we think it is influenced by both the pronunciationand a group of original words. After determining the source ofquasi-plural marks of Wu dialects, this dissertation contrasts in theaspect of typology, and explains the source of “men” which isdiscussed by many scholars and still has not a final verdict. Synthesizingthe group of original words “jia, li, du” we have gotten in Wu dialectsbefore, we prefer to define “men(door)” as the main source of “men”.The “men” which has formed the plural meaning and the quasi-pluralmarks of Wu dialects continue to develop in the existing delexicalextent. In some cases, they recur the meaning of a cluster; in othercases, they develop the meaning of lasting and possession. Finally, wetry to use the point of typology to analyze the problem of quasi-pluralmarks. We find that this series of delexicalization can be defined as ametonymy. By the frame of the part and the whole, the container andthe content, the “men” produce the association of function, andmake the metonymy work normally because of the former’s high conspicuousness.