Comparison of Terms Denoting Parts of Speech in English, Russian and Chinese
https://doi.org/10.18384/2310-712X-2023-1-73-81
Abstract
Aim. To analyze the problems of inconsistency of terms-names of parts of speech in Russian, English and Chinese considering their etymology, semantics and external form.
Methodology. The article mainly uses descriptive and comparative research methods.
Results. The paper identifies some controversial issues emerging in modern linguistic science and reflecting the discussions of researchers about the essence and expediency of some terms denoting parts of speech in Russian, English, and Chinese linguistics. Particular attention is paid to the names of the verb and its main forms (participles and adverbs) in grammars of the designated languages. In addition, the work clearly shows the difficulties which the translator may face in transmitting these terms in Russian, English and Chinese.
Research implications. The author of the article offers some recommendations on the prevention of errors in translation and work with scientific texts on grammar; clearly and argumentatively points out the differences in the use of terms meaning the same parts of speech in Chinese, English and Russian; and shows that the language type can influence the design of terms denoting parts of speech. Through the translation of the parts of speech terms in the languages under consideration, the article reveals certain difficulties in the trend of gradual internationalization of scientific knowledge and, at the same time, the development of local scientific research in different countries. The results of this study can be useful in compiling dictionaries, manuals for teaching foreign languages and in further research in the field of terminology and linguistics in general.
Keywords
Supporting agencies: The work was supported by the China Scholarship Council (国家留学基金管 理委员会)
About the Author
Li Jiajia
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Jiajia Li – Postgraduate student, Department of General and Comparative Linguistics, Faculty of Philology
Vorobyovy Gory 1, Moscow 119899
References
1. Bereza Ye. V. Chastitsy kak klass sluzhebnykh slov: tipologiya i funktsional'nost' (na materiale sovremennogo kitayskogo yazyka): dis. … kand. filol. nauk [Particles as a class of functional words: typology and functionality (on the material of the modern Chinese language)]. Blagoveshchensk, 2019. 176 p.
2. Vinogradov V. V. Russkiy yazyk (Grammaticheskoye ucheniye o slove) [Russian language (Grammatical doctrine of the word)]. Moscow, «Russkiy yazyk» Publ., 2001. 720 p.
3. Griniewicz (Grinev) S. V., Sorokina E. A. [Polysemy in general and special vocabulary]. In: Vestnik Moskovskogo gosudarstvennogo oblastnogo universiteta. Seriya: Lingvistika [Bulletin of the Moscow Region State University. Series: Linguistics], 2015, no. 4, pp. 51–64. DOI: 10.18384/2310-712X-2015-4-51-64.
4. Karpeka D. A. Glagol i grammaticheskiye kategorii predikatov v sovremennom kitayskom yazyke [The verb and grammatical categories of predicates in modern Chinese]. St. Petersburg, Vostochnyy ekspress Publ., 2017. 385 p.
5. Kiryukhina L. V. [On grammatical terminology in traditional Chinese philology]. In: Filologicheskiye nauki. Voprosy teorii i praktiki [Philology. Theory & Practice], 2017, no. 3-1 (69), pp. 90–93.
6. Kolpachkova E. N. [Modern approaches to description of parts of speech in Mandarin Chinese]. In: Kitayskiy yazyk: aktual'nyye voprosy yazykoznaniya, perevodovedeniya i lingvodidaktiki: sbornik statey nauchnoy konferentsii. Vyp. 1 [Chinese Language: Topical Issues of Linguistics, Theory of Translation and Language Education]. Moscow, MGIMO Universitet Publ., 2019, pp. 65–75.
7. Konopel'ko I. P. Sopostavitel'nyy analiz v issledovanii i prepodavanii yazyka (iz opyta Voronezhskoy shkoly sopostavitel'nykh issledovaniy) [Comparative analysis in the study and teaching of language (from the experience of the Voronezh school of comparative studies)]. Voronezh, «RITM» Publ., 2019. 226 p.
8. Malysheva A. V. [The main stages of the study of parts of the speech of the Chinese language in Western linguistics]. In: Vostochnaya Aziya: fakty i analitika (elektronnyy nauchnyy zhurnal) [East Asia: Facts and Analytics (electronic scientific journal)], 2019, no. 1, pp. 56–70. DOI: 10.24411/2686-7702-2019-10006.
9. Maslov Yu. S. Vvedeniye v yazykoznaniye [Introduction to linguistics]. Moscow, «Vysshaya shkola» Publ., 1987. 272 p.
10. Omel'yanovich N. V. [Parts of speech in modern Burmese]. In: Chasti rechi. Teoriya i tipologiya [Parts of speech. Theory and typology]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1990, pp. 138–166.
11. Ernazarova Kh. E. [Initial theoretical provisions for the problem of classification by parts of speech in English]. In: Molodoy uchonyy [Young scientist], 2016, no. 13 (117), pp. 728–730.
12. Yakhontov S. Ye. [The concept of parts of speech in General and Chinese linguistics]. In: Problemy kitayskogo i obshchego yazykoznaniya. K 90-letiyu S. Ye. Yakhontova [Problems in Chinese and General Linguistics. Sergey Yakhontov anniversary volume in honor of his 90th birthday]. St. Petersburg, Studiya «NPPrint» Publ., 2016, pp. 160–170.
13. Curme G. O. English Grammar. New York, Barnes & Noble, Inc., 1966. 308 p.
14. Karlgren B. The parts of speech and the Chinese language. In: Language in Society. Copenhagen, Munksgaard, 1961, pp. 73–78.
15. 王力. 中国语言学史 / 王力. — 北京.: 中华书局, 2013. 240 页.
Review
Views:
195
Email this article 
