The Lexicalization And Grammaticalization Of The Modifier-head Construction "DaGai"

The modifier-head construction "DaGai" refers to modifier-head construction which consist of adjective "Da" and a noun,such as "DaGai","DaLue","DaTi","DaYao" and its means generalization.This paper takes modifier-head construction "DaGai" as the research object,explores the lexicalization and grammaticalization of this structure and summarizes its characteristics through research methods such as synchronic and diachronic,description and explanation,qualitative and quantitative analysis.The full text of this thesis is mainly elaborated from six chapters.The first chapter is the introduction,and it mainly explains the reasons for choosing this topic,summarizes currently research situation at home and abroad,expounds the research significance and methods,and explains some conditions about the selected corpus.The second chapter describes the lexicalization and grammaticalization of the modifier-head construction "DaGai"."DaGai" was reanalyzed as a noun in Tang Dynasty,then it grammaticalize to an adjective.At the same time,"DaGai" evolves to an adverb.With the motivations like syntactic position,subjectivity and usage frequency,it grammaticalize to a modal adverb.And its mechanisms are metaphor and reanalysis.The third chapter describes the lexicalization and grammaticalization of the modifier-head construction "DaLue".Its evolution is basically similar to "DaGai",but it finally grammaticalize to a scope adverb and a modal adverb.The fourth chapter describes the lexicalization and grammaticalization of the modifier-head construction "DaTi".Its evolution also similar to the former,but it haven't grammaticalize to a modal adverb.The fifth chapter describes the lexicalization and grammaticalization of the modifier-head construction "DaYao".Its evolution path can be expressed as following: Modifier-head Construction?Noun?Adverb."Da Yao" only has noun usage now.The sixth chapter is a summary of the whole content.This chapter summarizes the evolution path of the modifier-head construction "DaGai" and the motivations and mechanisms of their lexicalization and grammaticalization.