In the Gan dialect of Pingxiang,Jiangxi Province,the versatile particle"等(deng)"exhibits polyfunctionality.In addition to its common usages as a notional word,a temporal indicator,and passive marker in Mandarin and other Chinese dialects,it is found that it has three other unique usages,including its role as a verb semantically meaning bestowal,a disposal preposition,and a marker for hypothetical substitution.The first two of its newfound usages are rarely seen in other Chinese dialects,and the last usage is reported for the first time.The grammaticalization trajectory of"deng"traces back to its origin as a verb signifying"waiting",and the metaphorical cognition of"waiting leading to transferring"is the direct motivation and mechanism for its semantic development from the meaning of waiting to allowing(or handing over)and the stages of semantical evolution comprising its meaning as a causative verb,conveying bestowal,along with its usages as a passive,dispositional preposition,and a hypothetical substitution marker,which all di-rectly or indirectly derive from the meaning of allowing to give.
关键词
萍乡赣语/"等"/给予义/被动-处置介词/置换假设标记/语法化
Key words
Gan dialect in Pingxiang/deng/the meaning of bestowal/passive-disposal preposition/substitution-hypothesis marker/Grammaticalization
万方数据