The Lexicalization Path of a Topic-Shifter 至於

至於 (至于 in simplified characters) is used in Modern Chinese as a topic-shifter, whose function is to switch from a topic or topics mentioned previously in the discourse to a new topic. This research investigates how and when the topic-shifter usage of 至於 was derived. I argue that it originated from Old Chinese 至, a verb of movement, plus 于/於, a spatial goal marker. This paper illustrates the step-by-step process of the lexicalization of 至于/於 by analyzing all occurrences of 至于/於 in the Academia Sinica Old Chinese texts database. Each stage of lexicalization is clearly distinguished using syntactic and semantic criteria: (a) the syntactic structure of the sentence in which [至于/於+Obj] appears, (b) the syntactic status of [至于/於+Obj], and(c) the semantic features of the object of 至于/於. 至于/於 was used as a topic-shifter as early as in the Warring States period. Its use as a topic-shifter started to increase significantly in Middle Chinese, as is reflected in Sanguo zhi 三國志. Finally, the lexicalization of 至於 into a topic-shifter was completed when 至於 was by far most frequently used as a topic-shifter and its original use became obsolete, as in Zhuzi yulei 朱子語類.

摘要:

"至於（簡體'至于'）"在現代漢語裏有轉換話題的功能。筆者 認為"至於"是由古代漢語表示移動的動詞"至"與表示到達點的 介詞"于/於"結合而成的。本文旨在通過考察從上古、中古到近代 漢語文獻所出現的關於"至于/於"的詞匯化演變用例闡述其最終轉 變為轉換話題功能的過程。本文的用例來自中央研究院漢籍電子文 獻中的古漢語語料庫 (http://hanji.sinica.edu.tw/) 。本文從語義和語 法層面上的差異觀察到"至于/於"的詞匯化階段。首先，在戰國時 期的上古文獻中開始出現極少數轉換話題的"至于/於"用例；到了 《三國誌》的中古時期，表示轉換話題功能的"至于/於"用例大幅 增加；最後，在近代漢語《朱子語類》文獻時期，大部分"至於" 被用於轉換話題，原來的"移動動詞+到達點"用例微乎其微，而 "至于"的出現頻率大大縮減，其原因與"于"本身的消失有關。 到了現代漢語時期"至於"簡化為"至于"。