Separable Words liheci with High Idiomatic Meaning in Modern Chinese

https://doi.org/10.26907/2658-3321.2023.6.2.176-186

Abstract

The article describes characteristics of semantic and syntagmatic features of separable words liheci in modern Chinese, which, in the framework of our semantic classification, constitute a group of separable words with high idiomatic meaning. The high idiomaticity of a unit implies the impossibility of deriving its semantics from the sum of the values of the components. The article consistently examines examples of the functioning of the inserted elements between the components of the verb-nominal construction of separable words liheci. A corpus-based analysis of language material shows such inserts before the nominal component of separable words liheci as numerals, measure words, counting complexes, units with quantitative semantics, pronouns, noun phrases, etc. As demonstrated by the examples reviewed, the inserted elements don’t establish true attributive relations with the nominal component, in the preposition to which they are located, which is due to the high semantic unity of the components of the separable words liheci with high idiomatic meaning. Counting complexes and pronouns before the nominal component don’t have function of its actualization. For example, noun measure words act as equivalents of verbal measure words, referring to the situation.