从语言学视角看“下海”一词的演变

A Linguistic Perspective on the Evolution of the Term “Xia Hai”

摘要: 本文以语言学为视角，结合隐喻、转喻等认知机制，对“下海”一词的语义演变历程进行考察。借助北京语言大学语料库中心(简称BBC语料库)检索“下海”，通过阅读古代、近现代文学作品中包含“下海”的文段，发现该词语义经历了从具体的空间行为到抽象行为的拓展。研究得出，社会文化因素是“下海”词义演变的外部动力，隐喻、转喻等认知机制是语义演变的内在驱动力。语义的演变可以帮助我们更好地理解、使用语言，了解特定历史时期人们认知模式、价值取向。

Abstract: From a linguistic perspective, this paper probes into the semantic evolution of the term “xia hai” by drawing on cognitive mechanisms such as metaphor and metonymy. Based on searches of the term “xia hai” in the Beijing Language University Corpus Center (abbreviated as BBC Corpus) and analyses of its usage in ancient, modern and contemporary literary texts, this study reveals that the meaning of the expression has extended from a concrete spatial action to an abstract social behavior. It is concluded that socio-cultural factors constitute the external impetus for the semantic change of “xia hai”, while cognitive mechanisms including metaphor and metonymy serve as its internal driving force. The exploration of semantic evolution contributes to a better understanding and application of language, and offers insights into the cognitive patterns and value orientations of people in specific historical periods.