關於差比句發展過程的幾點想法

Some Observations on the Development of Chinese Comparative Constructions

歷史文獻中的差比句可以大略分為甲、乙、丙三型，本文以甲型句（「X＋W＋B＋Y」，亦即「主體項＋述語＋比較詞＋基準項」，下準此）和乙型句（「X＋B＋Y＋W」）間的興替問題作為探討的重點。以下幾點是本文的主要結論：一，雖然甲型句有逐漸為乙型句取代之勢，但這種演變並不是不可違抗的。二，一個漢語方言如果有甲型句轉為乙型句的趨勢，其下屬的各句型未必一定會全部轉類。三，上古漢語的「X＋W＋於＋Y」差比句在近代漢語時期由「X＋W＋如／似＋Y」所取代，和介詞「於」的多義性以及「X＋W＋於＋Y」在句法上的限制是密切相關的。四，「X＋W＋如／似＋Y」本是平比句，在近代漢語時期通過「如」的音變而轉為差比句。

In ancient Chinese, comparative constructions could be divided into three types: type A can be formulated as “X+W+B+Y”, type B as “X+B+Y+W”, and type C as “X+W+Y”. In these three patterns X indicates subject, Y standard, W comparative predicate, and B comparative marker. This study mainly investigates the development of type A and its interaction with type B. The conclusions of this paper are as follows: (1) While generally type B has been gradually replacing type A, there still appear to be dialects resisting this tendency. (2) When the replacement of type A by type B does take place, each subtype of A has not also necessarily changed. (3) “X+W+YU 於+Y”, an Old Chinese form of type A, has been replaced by “X+W+RU 如/SI 似+Y” in Early Mandarin; the reason may be closely related to the ambiguity of the preposition YU as well as the syntactic limitation of “X+W+YU+Y”. (4) “X+W+RU/SI+Y” (meaning “X is as W as Y” in Old Chinese) became a comparative form in Early Mandarin, a new form phonetically derivable from RU.