A Semantic Study of Mandarin Chinese Qiān and Southern Min Khan

國語「牽」(Qiān)與閩南語「牽」(Khan)之語意研究

本文從認知的觀點探索國語「牽」(qiān)及閩南語「牽」(khan)的多意性。我們發現雖然國語「牽」(qiān)及閩南語「牽」(khan)具有相同的語意，兩者也發展出了不同的意義。閩南語「牽」(khan)有國語「牽」(qiān)不具有的意義，像是「承受某事」、「提拔」、「攪動芡粉(以勾芡)」、「言詞推托」、「交往或具有男女關係」等涵義，而國語「牽」(qiān)亦有閩南語「牽」(khan)不具備的涵義，像是「關心」之語意即是。我們的結論是：語言並非是獨立於認知系統的一種能力。而且，我們證明了用於體驗外在世界的認知運作的確反應在語言系統上。 From a cognitive perspective, this paper explores the polysemous natures of Mandarin Chinese qiān and Southern Min khan. It is found that although Mandarin Chinese qiān and Southern Min khan have shared senses, they have developed distinct meaning facets. Southern Min khan has engendered senses which Mandarin Chinese qiān does not have, such as ‘to endure’, ‘to promote’, ‘to stir (starch)’, ‘to quibble’, and ‘to be in a relationship with’. On the other hand, Mandarin Chinese qiān has the sense ‘to concern about’ which Southern Min khan does not possess. We conclude that language is not a faculty independent of the other cognitive fields. Also, we verify that cognitive operations in perceiving the real world are encoded in language.