УРОК 46

GRAMMAR COMMENTARY

46.1. Causal constructions with the phrase 所以 suǒ yǐ

In classical Old Chinese, there are several special phrases used to indicate the cause of a particular action. Among them, constructions with an emphatic nature occupy a special place. They use the preposition 以 yǐ, which in this case means "because of."

The most typical of these is 所以...者以 suǒ yǐ... zhě yǐ:
勝所以自附為婚姻者以公子之高義 shèng suǒ yǐ zì fù wéi hūn yīn zhě yǐ gōng zǐ zhī gāo yì "What made me, [Zhao] Sheng, [your] relative in law [is] your high moral qualities."

Here, after the neutralized predicative phrase with the preposition 以 yǐ, this preposition is repeated once more.

Constructions with 所以...者 suǒ yǐ... zhě, as we already know from previous texts, also have another meaning—"that with which" or "that in what manner":
吾所以待侯生者備矣 wú suǒ yǐ dài hóu shēng zhě bèi yǐ "The way I treated Mr. Hou was impeccable."

46.2. The Past Tense Marker 曾 céng

A new aspectual-tense marker 曾 céng appears in the classical language. It indicates that the action expressed by the predicate took place in the past:
侯生曾無一言半辭送我 hóu shēng céng wú yī yán bàn cí sòng wǒ "Mr. Hou didn't even have a few words of advice to give me."

46.3. The aspect-tense marker 已 yǐ

The text of this lesson contains an example that clearly illustrates the fact that the aspect-tense marker 已 yǐ can only convey aspectual meaning and, unlike 曾 céng, does not necessarily indicate the past tense:
諸侯敢救者已拔趙必移兵先擊之 zhū hóu gǎn jiù zhě yǐ bá zhào bì yí bīng xiān jī zhī "If the Zhuhou dare to come to their aid, then, having captured Zhao, I will transfer my army and first of all strike at them."

Here yǐ indicates a completed action that will take place in the future.

46.4. The Question Word ān

The question word ān can perform the same grammatical functions as hé. It can replace an object:
安歸乎,歸於富厚也 ān guī hū, guī yú fù hòu yě "What do they strive for? They strive for wealth and well-being."

安 ān can replace an adverbial modifier of manner:
今上欲易太子,君安得高枕而卧乎 jīn shàng yù yì tài zǐ, jūn ān dé gāo zhěn ér wò hū "Now the emperor wants to appoint a new heir, how can you sleep peacefully?"

In our text, 安 ān is used in an emphatic construction requiring predicate inversion:
安在公子能急人之困也 ān zài gōng zǐ néng jí rén zhī kùn yě "Where is your willingness to help people in times of need?"

46.5. The Final Particle 邪 yé

This final interrogative particle is already found in the Early Classical Language:
天邪,地邪 tiān yé, dì yé "Is it heaven or earth?"

The final particle 邪 yé can also be written with the sign 耶 yé.