工具类名词作量词的语法化过程及机制——以“笔”为例

The Grammaticalization Process and Mechanisms of Tool Nouns as Classifiers—A Case Study of “Bi”

摘要: 汉语量词体系十分丰富，其中由具有实体形态的工具类名词借用而来的量词，可称为工具量词。这类词语在人类认知的作用下，经过长期的语言演变，逐步获得了语法功能。“笔”便是其中的典型代表。作为兼具工具属性与语法功能的高频词汇，“笔”在现代汉语中具有重要地位。本文以“笔”的本义为逻辑起点，采用历时研究方法考察其语法化过程，并在此基础上结合认知语言学的隐喻与转喻，进一步探究工具类名词用作量词的语法化机制。

Abstract: The Chinese classifier system is notably rich, encompassing a category known as instrumental classifiers, which are derived from notional nouns representing physical tools. Through the influence of human cognition and long-term linguistic evolution, these instrumental words have gradually acquired grammatical functions. The word “bi” (pen) serves as a quintessential example. As a high-frequency lexical item possessing both instrumental attributes and grammatical functionality, “bi” holds a significant position in Modern Chinese. Taking the original meaning of “bi” as its logical starting point, this paper employs a diachronic research method to examine its grammaticalization process. On this basis, and in conjunction with the cognitive linguistic concepts of metaphor and metonymy, the study further explores the grammaticalization mechanisms by which instrumental nouns are used as classifiers.