Essays on Modern Chinese Function Words (Third Edition)
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Summary
This book is a collection of case studies on function words in modern Chinese, comprising 26 papers—15 by Ma Zhen, 9 by Lu Jianming, and 2 co-authored. With rich examples, the authors offer penetrating, fine-grained analyses of the grammatical meaning, grammatical function, and specific usage of the function words studied; many of the papers are regarded as models for the descriptive analysis of modern Chinese function words. The book not only presents concrete research findings on individual function words but also provides readers with specific methods for studying, analyzing, and describing modern Chinese function words. It is essential reading for research and teaching on modern Chinese function words and modern Chinese grammar, and is also of significant reference value for foreign learners and researchers of Chinese grammar.
Editor's review
This book collects case studies on function words in Modern Chinese by Ma Zhen and Lu Jianming: 26 papers in total, 15 by Ma Zhen, 9 by Lu Jianming, and 2 co-authored. Its value lies not only in offering concrete findings on individual function words but also in demonstrating how to describe and analyze function words precisely on three levels—grammatical meaning, grammatical function, and specific usage—with abundant examples; many of the papers are regarded as models of analysis in the field. For researchers and teachers of Chinese grammar, the book serves as a reference for methodology in function-word research; for practitioners of Chinese as a second language education, the nuanced distinctions of usage help address difficult questions in teaching; for linguistics students, it is suitable as a model for academic writing and case analysis. Readers should first grasp each paper's guiding question and argumentative path, then consider the conclusions, and note how the same function word is approached differently across papers, thereby appreciating the layered nature of the descriptive method.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Graduate students in Modern Chinese grammar and advanced undergraduates in linguistics
- Teachers engaged in research on Modern Chinese function words and grammar teaching
- Faculty and students in Chinese as a second language education and practitioners who need to distinguish function-word usage
- Advanced language learners interested in research on Chinese function words
Not a good fit for
- Absolute beginners in Chinese or general readers who only need everyday communicative language
- Those seeking a quick-reference handbook of function-word usage with ready-to-use conclusions
- Casual readers uninterested in analytical methods who wish only to browse grammatical anecdotes
Reading tips
- Begin with the co-authored papers and representative case studies to grasp the analytical framework from grammatical meaning to specific usage, then move on to the remaining papers.
- After each paper, try to reproduce the analysis with your own examples to test whether you truly understand the descriptive method rather than merely remembering conclusions.
- Compare how the same or similar function words are treated in different papers, and organize the differences in analytical angles and argumentative paths.
- Teachers can build a list of difficult function-word questions and read against classroom examples, recording transferable analytical approaches.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 出版说明
- 虚词研究浅论
- 关于时间副词
- 说“也”
- 包含副词“也”的并列复句句式及其他
- 说“反而”（附【补白】）
- 关于表示程度浅的副词“还”
- 普通话里的程度副词“很、挺、怪、老”
- 程度副词在表示程度比较的句式中的分布情况考察
- 关于“都/全”所总括的对象的位置
- 说副词“净”
- 关于表重复的副词“又”“再”“还”
- “已经”和“曾经”的语法意义
- “才”和“就”在数量表达上所呈现的主观性的异同
- 表加强否定语气的副词“并”和“又”
- 修饰数量词的副词
- “比”字句新探
- “把”字句补议
- “还”和“更”
- “更加”和“越发”
- 现代汉语副词独用刍议
- 汉语中表示主从关系的连词
- “的”字结构和“所”字结构
- 析“像……似的”（附【补白】）
- 关于现代汉语里的疑问语气词
- 现代汉语中一个新的语助词“看”（附【补白】）
- “着（·zhe）”字补议
- 后记
FAQ
How does this book differ from an ordinary dictionary of function-word usage?
This is not a quick-reference tool arranged by entry but a collection of case-study papers on function words. It focuses on showing how to analyze function words at the levels of grammatical meaning, grammatical function, and specific usage, offering research methods and analytical models rather than directly listing usage items; it is therefore better suited to close study than to quick consultation.
Can readers without a linguistics background understand it?
Some papers are accessible, but the book as a whole has a certain threshold. The analyses involve distinctions between grammatical meaning and function and methods such as contrastive examples; readers lacking basic knowledge of Modern Chinese grammar will find the argumentation difficult. It is advisable to acquire basic grammatical concepts first or start with the more accessible case studies.
What practical help does the book offer teachers of Chinese as a foreign language?
The detailed distinctions of specific function-word usage help teachers address errors students commonly make; more importantly, the book provides methodological approaches to analyzing function words that teachers can transfer to difficult cases they encounter, rather than relying on ready-made conclusions. Reading alongside classroom examples is recommended.
What changes does the third edition make compared with earlier editions?
The materials do not specify the revisions in the third edition, so the details of additions, deletions, or adjustments cannot be known. Readers may consult the copyright page and preface, or compare the table of contents to confirm the composition of papers; according to the available materials, the core of the book remains a collection of 26 case-study papers on function words.
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About the author
马真
Author
Ma Zhen is a scholarly author active in the field of modern Chinese linguistics. Public information about her is limited, and her nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background are not clearly recorded. Judging from the three works held in the collection—Essays on Modern Chinese Function Words (Third Edition), A Harvest of Studies on Chinese Vocabulary and Grammar, and Methodology for Researching Modern Chinese Function Words—her writing centers on Chinese function words and on the study of vocabulary and grammar. These works discuss the specific uses of function words, research methods, and the interaction between vocabulary and grammar. Aimed at language researchers and learners of Chinese, they emphasize analysis of examples and clarity of method, and offer reference value among books on language and writing.
