1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. Historiographia Linguistica
  4. Volume 44, Issue 1
  5. Article
Volume 44, Issue 1
  • ISSN 0302-5160
  • E-ISSN: 1569-9781
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Prompted by Western science in late 19th century, Chinese linguistics gradually moved to a new direction after two thousand years of philological tradition centered on rhetoric and textual exegesis. Through the intense efforts of a few scholars in the early twenti-eth century, linguistic study in China became a science and a discipline. Yuen Ren Chao (1892–1982) and Wang Li (1900–1986) were first-generation linguists who led the movement to apply the methodology of modern linguistics to the systematic study of Chinese. This paper investigates the trend setting achievements of these founders of the discipline, and it introduces their biographical and scholarly backgrounds. It also provides a brief history of philology through the lens of Wang Li who was the first historian of Chinese linguistics. Contemporary linguists need both a critical mind to understand the philological legacy of Chinese and an open mind to welcome new interdisciplinary approaches that could produce innovative theories and facilitate the growth of the discipline. Moreover, this paper expands the history of linguistics by introducing linguistic features not found in Indo-European languages, thereby making the history of linguistics more inclusive than it has previously been. Consequently, this paper contributes to a rethinking of the definition of language.

© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/hl.44.1.01che
2017-07-21
2024-12-13

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/hl.44.1.01che
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Chao, Yuen Ren
    1925 A Phonograph Course in the Chinese National Language. Shanghai: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. 1928 Xiandai wuyu de yanjiu现代吴语的研究 [Studies in the Modern Wu Dialects]. (= Monograph No.4 .) Peking: Tsing Hua College Research Institute.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. 1934 “The Non-Uniqueness of Phonemic Solutions of Phonetic System”. Bulletin of the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica4.363–397.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Chao, Yuen Ren & Lien Sheng Yang
    1947 Guoyu zidian国语字典 [Concise Dictionary of Spoken Chinese]. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Chao, Yuen Ren , Sheng-Shu Ting , Shih-Feng Yang , Tsung-Chi Wu & T‘Ung-Ho Tung
    1948 Hubei fangyan diaocha baogao湖北方言调查报告 [Report on a Survey of the Dialects of Hupeh]. Vol.I. Shanghai: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Chao, Yuen Ren
    1959 Yuyan wenti语言问题 [The Problem of Language]. Taipei: School of Humanities at National Taiwan University.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. 1961 [1948] Mandarin Primer: An intensive course in spoken Chinese. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  8. 1968 A Grammar of Spoken Chinese. Berkeley & Los Angeles: University of California Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. 1972a “Where Chao Went Wrong in Matters of Language”. Canadian Journal of Linguistics17:2/3.105–108.
     [Google Scholar]
  10. 1976 Aspects of Chinese Sociolinguistics: Essays. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  11. 2002 Zhao yuanren yuyanxue lunwenji赵元任语言学论文集 [Selected Essays in Linguistics] ed. by Zongji Wu & Xinna Zhao . Beijing: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Chen, Linhan
    2013 “The Changing Nature of China’s Higher Education”. Journal of Education and Learning2:2.190–200. doi: 10.5539/jel.v2n2p190
     https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v2n2p190 [Google Scholar]
  13. Duan, Yucai
    1981 Shuo wen jie zi zhu 说文解字注 [Commentary to Shuo wen jie zi]. Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Gianninoto, Mariarosaria
    2014 “The Development of Chinese Grammars and the Classification of the Parts of Speech”. Language & History57:2.137–148. doi: 10.1179/1759753614Z.00000000033
     https://doi.org/10.1179/1759753614Z.00000000033 [Google Scholar]
  15. Guo, Pu
    1983 Erya Zhu 尔雅注 [Commentary to Erya]. InSiku Quanshu (Wenyuange edition). vol.221.1–236. Taipei: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Karlgren, Bernhard
    1962 [11940] Études sur la phonologie chinoise [Zhongguo yinyunxue yanjiu 中国音韵学研究] Transl. by Yuen Ren Chao & Fang-Kuei Li . Taipei: Taiwan Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Liu, Xi
    1983 Shi ming 释名 [Explaining Names]. InSiku Quanshu (Wenyuange edition). vol.221.383–424. Taipei: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Liu, Danqing & Bojiang Zhang
    2010 “Shishi zhi bixu, xueshu zhi daye — sheli yuyanxue yiji xueke d zhongyao yiyi he xueli jichu” 时势之必需，学术之大业 — 设立语言学一级学科的重要意义和学理基础 [Significance and Rationale of Establishing Linguistics as a Primary Discipline]. Linguistic Sciences语言科学9:1.14–18.
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Lu, Jianming & Yang Shen
    2010 “Guanyu jianli ‘yuyanxue’ yiji xueke de jianyi” 关于建立“语言学”一级学科的建议 [Suggestions about Establishing Linguistics as a Primary Discipline]. Linguistic Sciences 语言科学9:1.9–14.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Lü Shuxiang
    1979 Hanyu yufa fenxi wenti 汉语语法分析问题 [Questions on Analyzing Chinese Grammar]. Beijing: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  21. Ma, Jianzhong
    1935 [11898] Ma shi wen tong 马氏文通 [Basic Principles for Writing Clearly and Coherently by Mister Ma]. Shanghai: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  22. Norman, Jerry
    1988 Chinese. Cambridge & New York: Cambridge University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Shen, Jiaxuan
    2012 “‘Lingju’ he ‘liushuiju’ — wei Zhao Yuanren xiansheng danchen 120 zhounian er zuo” “零句”和“流水句” — 为赵元任先生诞辰120周年而作 [On Minor Sentences and Flowing Sentences in Chinese: In commemoration of the 120th birthday of Yuen Ren Chao]. Studies of the Chinese Language中国语文5.403–415.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. 2014 “Hanyu de luoji zhegeyang, hanyu shi zheyang de — wei Zhao Yuanren xiansheng danchen 120 zhounian er zuo zhi er” 汉语的逻辑这个样，汉语是这样的 — 为赵元任先生诞辰120周年而作之二 [A Review of Yuen Ren Chao’s Two Articles on Chinese Grammar and Logic]. Language Teaching and Linguistic Studies语言教学与研究2.1–10.
     [Google Scholar]
  25. 2015 Mingci he dongci 名词和动词 [Nouns and Verbs]. Beijing: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Tung, T‘Ung-Ho
    1970 Hanyu yinyun xue 汉语音韵学 [Studies of Chinese Phonology]. Taipei: Xuesheng shuju.
     [Google Scholar]
  27. Wang, Li
    1943, 1944 Zhongguo xiandai yufa 中国现代语法 [Modern Chinese Grammar]. Shanghai: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  28. 1944, 1945 Zhongguo yufa lilun 中国语法理论 [Theory of Chinese Grammar]. Shanghai: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  29. 1956 Hanyu yinyun xue 汉语音韵学 [Studies of Chinese Phonology]. Beijing: Zhong Hua Book Company.
     [Google Scholar]
  30. 1958 Hanyu shilüxue 汉语诗律学 [Chinese Versification]. Shanghai: Shanghai jiaoyu chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. 1962–1964 Gudai hanyu 古代汉语 [Classical Chinese]. vol.I-IV. Beijing: Zhong Hua Book Company.
     [Google Scholar]
  32. 1982 Tongyuan zidian 同源字典 [Etymological Dictionary]. Beijing: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  33. 1985 Hanyu yuyin shi 汉语语音史 [History of Chinese Phonetics]. Beijing: Zhongguo shehui kexue chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  34. 2000 Wang Li yuyanxue lunwen ji 王力语言学论文集 [Selected Essays in Linguistics]. Beijing: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  35. 2014 Shijing yundu; Chuci yundu 诗经韵读; 楚辞韵读 [Rhyme Reader of Odes; Rhyme Reader of Chu Songs]. Collected Works of Wang Li , vol.XII. Beijing: Zhong Hua Book Company.
     [Google Scholar]
  36. 2015 Long chong bing diao zhai wenji 龙虫并雕斋文集 [Popular Essays by Wang Li]. Collected Works of Wang Li , vol.XIX. Beijing: Zhong Hua Book Company.
     [Google Scholar]
  37. Wang, Niansun
    2004 Guangya shuzheng 广雅疏证 [Commentary to Guangya]. Re-ed.Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company.
     [Google Scholar]
  38. Xu, Shen
    1983 Shuo wen jie zi 说文解字 [Explaining Single-component Graphs and Analyzing Compound Characters]. InSiku Quanshu (Wenyuange edition). vol.223.63–384. Taipei: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  39. Yang, Xiong
    1983 Fangyan 方言 [Dialects]. commented by Guo Pu . InSiku Quanshu (Wenyuange edition). vol.221.281–382. Taipei: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  40. Yang, Yiming & Jie Xu
    2010 “Yuyanxue yiji xueke shezhi yu jianshe bitan” 语言学一级学科设置与建设笔谈 [On Establishing and Building Linguistics as a Primary Discipline]. Linguistic Sciences 语言科学9:1.1–9.
     [Google Scholar]
  41. You, Rujie
    2010 “Yuyanxue de xueke diwei wenti” 语言学的学科地位问题 [On the Disciplinary Status of Linguistics]. Linguistic Sciences 语言科学9:1.19–21.
     [Google Scholar]
  42. Yu, Daoquan
    1930 Di liu dai Dalailama Cang yang jia cuo qingge 第六代达赖喇嘛仓央嘉措情歌 [Love Songs of the Sixth Dalailama Tshangs-dbyangs-rgya-mtsho]. Transcribed by Yuen Ren Chao . (= Academia Sinica Monographs, Series A, No.5.) Peiping: Academia Sinica.
     [Google Scholar]
  43. Zhang, Nengfu
    2003 Lidai yuyanxue wenxian duben 历代语言学文献读本 [Selected Readings of Linguistic Literature of Past Dynasties]. Chengdu: Bashu shushe.
     [Google Scholar]
  44. Zhou, Deqing
    1960 Zhongyuan yinyun 中原音韵 [Sounds of Rhymes of the Central Plains]. Re-ed.Taipei: Guangwen Book Company.
     [Google Scholar]
  45. Zhu, Ziqing
    1948 Yuwen lingshi 语文零拾 [Selected Essays]. Shanghai: Mingshan shuju.
     [Google Scholar]
  46. Carroll, Lewis
    1970 Alice in Wonderland [alisi manyou qijing ji 阿丽思漫游奇境记]. Transl. by Yuen Ren Chao . Re-edition. Taipei: The Cactus Publishing Co.
     [Google Scholar]
  47. Chappell, Hilary & Alain Peyraube
    2014 “The History of Chinese Grammars in Chinese and Western Scholarly Traditions”. Language & History57:2.107–136. doi: 10.1179/1759753614Z.00000000032
     https://doi.org/10.1179/1759753614Z.00000000032 [Google Scholar]
  48. Chao, Yuen Ren
    1972b “With Bertrand Russell in China”. Russell: The Journal of the Bertrand Russell Archives7.14–17.
  49. 1974–1977 Chinese Linguist, Phonologist, Composer and Author, Yuen Ren Chao: Oral history transcript [An interview conducted by Rosemary Levenson]. Berkeley: Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library. [http:www.content.cdlib.org/view?docld=hb8779p27v&brand=calisphere&doc.view=entire_text]
     [Google Scholar]
  50. 1975 Yuen Ren Chao’s Autobiography: First 30 Years, 1892–1921, [Life with Chaos: The autobiography of a Chinese family], vol.II. Ithaca, N.Y.: Spoken Language Services, Inc.
     [Google Scholar]
  51. Deng, Wenbin
    2002 Zhongguo gudai yuyanxue shi 中国古代语言学史 [History of Linguistics in Ancient China]. Chengdu: Bashu shushe.
     [Google Scholar]
  52. Dubs, Homer H.
    1927 Hsüntze: Moulder of Ancient Confucianis. London: Arthur Probsthain.
     [Google Scholar]
  53. Emerson, Ralph Waldo
    1893 The American Scholar; Self-Reliance; Compensation. New York/Cincinnati/Chicago: American Book Company.
     [Google Scholar]
  54. Ge, Liangyan
    2015 The Scholar and the State: Fiction as political discourse in Late Imperial China. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  55. Gong, Qianyan
    1997 Zhongguo yufaxue shi 中国语法学史 [History of Grammar Studies in China]. Beijing: Yuwen chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  56. Greenberg, Joseph H.
    1973 “Linguistics as a Pilot Science”. Themes in Linguistics: The 1970sed. by Eric P. Hamp , 45–60. The Hague: Mouton.
     [Google Scholar]
  57. Guo, Xiliang
    1998 “Zai tan Ma Jianzhong he Ma shi wen tong” 再谈马建忠和《马氏文通》[Ma Jianzhong and Ma shi wen tong Revisited]. Studies of the Chinese Language中国语文6.432–434.
     [Google Scholar]
  58. Hall, Robert A.
    1991 “165 Broadway: A crucial node in American structural linguistics . Historiographia Linguistca18:1.153–166. doi: 10.1075/hl.18.1.05hal
     https://doi.org/10.1075/hl.18.1.05hal [Google Scholar]
  59. He, Jiuying
    1985 Zhongguo gudai yuyanxue shi 中国古代语言学史 [History of Linguistics in Ancient China]. Zhengzhou: Henan renmin chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  60. 2005 [1995] Zhongguo xiandai yuyanxue shi 中国现代语言学史 [History of Linguistics in Modern China]. Guangzhou: Guangdong jiaoyu chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  61. Hu, Shih
    1970 Hu Shih gei Yuen Ren Chao de xin 胡适给赵元任的信 [Seventy-eight Letters to a Friend]. Taipei: The Budding Publishing Co.
     [Google Scholar]
  62. 2003 Hu Shih quanji [Collected Works of Hu Shih]. vol, LXIV. Anhui: Anhui jiaoyu chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  63. Ji, Changhong & Peizeng Wang
    1992 Zhongguo gudai yuyanxue jia pingzhuan 中国古代语言学家评传 [Biography of Linguists in Ancient China]. Jinan: Shandong jiaoyu chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  64. Lepschy, Giulio C.
    ed. 2013 [11994] History of Linguistics: The eastern tradition of linguistics. Vol.I. Repr., London & New York: Routledge.
     [Google Scholar]
  65. Li, Fang-Kuei
    2003 Li Fanggui xiansheng koushu shi 李方桂先生口述史 [Linguistics East and West: American Indians, Sino-Tibetan, and Thai]. Beijing: Tsing Hua University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  66. Lü Shuxiang
    1986 “Daonian Wang Li jiaoshou” 悼念王力教授 [In Memoriam: Professor Wang Li]. People’s Daily人民日报. May 15th.
     [Google Scholar]
  67. Mei, Yi-pao
    1951 “Hsün Tzu on Terminology.” Philosophy East and West1.51–56. doi: 10.2307/1396850
     https://doi.org/10.2307/1396850 [Google Scholar]
  68. Mei, Tsu-lin
    1986 “In Memoriam: Professor Wang Li”. Journal of Chinese Linguistics14:2.333–336.
     [Google Scholar]
  69. Mote, Frederick W.
    2010 China and the Vocation of History in the Twentieth Century: A personal memoir. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  70. Pian, Rulan Chao
    1995 “Autobiographical Sketches”. ACMR Reports8:1.1–20.
     [Google Scholar]
  71. Pu, Zhizhen
    2002 Zhongguo yuyanxue shi 中国语言学史 [History of Linguistics in China]. Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  72. Shao, Jingmin
    2011 Xinshiqi hanyu yufaxue shi 新时期汉语语法学史 [History of Grammar Studies in New China: 1978–2008]. Beijing: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  73. Shen, Jiaxuan
    2011 “Zhu Dexi xiansheng zui zhongyao de xueshu yichan” 朱德熙先生最重要的学术遗产 [The Most Valuable Legacy of Zhu Dexi’s Grammatical Theory]. Language Teaching and Linguistic Studies语言教学与研究4.7–19.
     [Google Scholar]
  74. Wang, Jiguo & Gu Zhang
    2008 Guowen tongcai: Wang Li 国文通才：王力 [Biography of Wang Li]. Beijing: Peking University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  75. Wang, Li
    1981 Zhongguo yuyanxue shi 中国语言学史 [History of Chinese Linguistics]. Taiyuan: Shanxi renmin chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  76. 1985 Hanyu yuyin shi 汉语语音史 [History of Chinese Phonetics]. Beijing: Zhongguo shehui kexue chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  77. 1989 Hanyu yufa shi 汉语语法史 [History of Chinese Grammar]. Beijing: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  78. 2013a Hanyu shigao 汉语史稿 [A Draft History of Chinese]. Collected Works of Wang Li , vol.I. Beijing: Zhong Hua Book Company.
     [Google Scholar]
  79. 2013b Qingdai guyinxue 清代古音学 [Qing Dynasty Studies of Ancient Pronunciation]. Collected Works of Wang Li , vol.VI. Beijing: Zhong Hua Book Company.
     [Google Scholar]
  80. Wang, Yinzhi
    1984 Jing zhuan shi ci 经传释词 [Explanation of Particles in the Classics and the Commentaries]. Changsha: Yuelu shushe.
     [Google Scholar]
  81. Wang, Yuanxin
    1993 Zhongguo minzu yuyanxue shi 中国民族语言学史 [A History of Linguistic Research on Minority Languages in China]. Beijing: Zhongyang minzu xueyuan chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  82. Wilkinson, Endymion
    2015 Chinese History: A new manual. Re-edition. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Asia Center.
     [Google Scholar]
  83. Wu, Xinchou
    2005 Xianqin lianghan yuyanxue shi 先秦两汉语言学史 [History of Linguistics in Pre-Qin and Han Periods]. Guangzhou: Guangdong gaodeng jiaoyu chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  84. Xu, Ying
    2010 Fanggui yu wo wu shi wu nian 方桂与我五十五年 [Fifty-five Years of My Life with Li Fang-Kuei]. Beijing: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  85. Yang, Buwei
    1947 Autobiography of a Chinese Woman [Yige nüren de zizhuan一个女人的自传]. Put into English by Yuen Ren Chao . New York: The John Day Co.
     [Google Scholar]
  86. 2007 Family of Chaos. Transl. by Yuan Ren Chao . InZhao yuanren quanji 赵元任全集 [Collected Works of Yuen Ren Chao]. vol.XV.507–777. Beijing: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  87. Zhongguo xiandai yuyanxuejia zhuanlve 中国现代语言学家传略 [Biography of Linguists in Modern China: 20th Century] 2004 Ed. by Zhongguo yuyanxuehui “Zhongguo xiandai yuyanxuejia zhuanlve” bianxiezu. 中国语言学会“中国现代语言学家传略”编写组 [Chinese Linguistics Society’s Compilers on Biography of Linguists in Modern China], vols.I–IV. Shijiazhuang: Hebei jiaoyu chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  88. Zhou, Fagao
    1966 Past, Present and Future of Chinese Linguistics: with an English summary. Hong Kong: The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  89. 1980 Lun zhongguo yuyanxue 论中国语言学 [On Chinese Linguistics]. Hong Kong: The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  90. Zhou, Qingsheng
    2008 Zhongguo minzu yuyanxue yanjiu 中国民族语言学研究 [Ethno-linguistic Studies in China]. Beijing: Shehui kexue wenxian chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
  91. Zhao, Xinna & Peiyun Huang
    1998 Zhao Yuanren nianpu 赵元任年谱 [Chronology of Yuen Ren Chao]. Beijing: Commercial Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  92. Zhou, Zhiping
    2015a “Meiguo zhongwen jiaoxue shi shang de Zhao Yuanren” (1) 美国中文教学史上的赵元任（上） [Yuen Ren Chao in the History of Chinese Language Instruction in the United States (1)]. Journal of International Chinese Teaching国际汉语教学研究5:1. 90–96.
     [Google Scholar]
  93. 2015b “Meiguo zhongwen jiaoxue shi shang de Zhao Yuanren” (2) 美国中文教学史上的赵元任（下） [Yuen Ren Chao in the History of Chinese Language Instruction in the United States (2)]. Journal of International Chinese Teaching国际汉语教学研究6:2. 83–92.
     [Google Scholar]
  94. Zhou, Zuyang
    2006 Xinzhu hanyu yuyin shi 新著汉语语音史 [A New History of Chinese Phonology]. Shanghai: Shanghai cishu chubanshe.
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/hl.44.1.01che
Loading
  • Article Type: Research Article

Most Cited

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error