The Discourse Flexibility of Zhao Yuanren [Yuen Ren Chao]'s Homophonic Text

Chinese American linguist Zhao Yuanren [Yuen Ren Chao] 's homophonic Chinese text entitled "Shi shi shi shi shi " (or Story of stone grotto poet eating lions) (Zhao [Chao] 1960; 1980:149) is a peculiar text that is little explored. This paper, with a discussion of this text in terms of mode of discourse, reveals how flexible a homophonic text can be, and how mode of discourse can bend a discourse in its length, syntax, style, and structure. This study enriches the linguistic power and intelligence to Zhao [Chao]'s original homophonic text and offers some implications for the research of homophonic texts and discourses.