Home Linguistics & Semiotics From light noun to nominalizer and more
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

From light noun to nominalizer and more

The grammaticalization of zhe and suo in Old and Middle Chinese
  • Foong Ha Yap and Jiao Wang
View more publications by John Benjamins Publishing Company
Nominalization in Asian Languages
This chapter is in the book Nominalization in Asian Languages

Abstract

In this paper, we examine how Chinese light nouns zhe and suo evolved into agent and patient nominalizers respectively. The link between nominalization, relativization and genitivization is explored from a grammaticalization perspective; likewise the frequent relationship between nominalization and clausal subordination. Other uses derived from nominalization constructions are discussed as well, among them speaker stance marking and passive voice marking.

Abstract

In this paper, we examine how Chinese light nouns zhe and suo evolved into agent and patient nominalizers respectively. The link between nominalization, relativization and genitivization is explored from a grammaticalization perspective; likewise the frequent relationship between nominalization and clausal subordination. Other uses derived from nominalization constructions are discussed as well, among them speaker stance marking and passive voice marking.

Downloaded on 19.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/tsl.96.02yap/html
Scroll to top button