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| Introduction to Sinitic-Vietnamese Studies | |||
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Introduction to Sinitic-Vietnamese Studies
DRAFT In this paper I will introduce some new findings in the study field of the Chinese (C) origin of a vast little-known stock of the Vietnamese (V) vocabulary, which is called the HánNôm, or Sinitic-Vietnamese (VS). These newly discovered words of Chinese origin are direct results of applying the two new etymological methods called dissyllabic and analogical approaches. The first one is to treat sound changes of two-syllable Chinese words to Vietnamese as being unrestricted to and independent of individual one-syllable words. This method, in turn, will help analogize multiple patterns of sound changes that have occurred in the process of natural adaption of many Chinese lexicons in Vietnamese within a categorical group and in a cultural context, i.e., if a word has a Chinese origin, chances are that its related words could be the same, too, which would go unnoticed otherwise. This is what is called the analogical approach. By applying these two new etymological approaches, more Vietnamese words of Chinese origin, including those of basic vacabulary stratrum, can be unveiled. In addition, implication of any new development in this study can be used to rebut the arguments that the origin Vietnamese is of the Mon-Khmer branch of the Austroasiatic linguistic family since evidences on Chinese linguistic traits found in this study, therefore, may eventually help strengthen the foundation for re-classifying Vietnamese into the Sino-Tibetan (ST) linguistic family. In the meanwhile, even though the HánViệt, or Sino-Vietnamese (SV), sound system, obviously a variation of Middle Chinese (MC), is not the subject matter under discussion in this study, its sound change patterns and rules are utilized here. I) INTRODUCTION: Before I go into discussion of the main subject, I will briefly introduce the background underlining the compelling motive that has drawn me to do this research and the goal I wish to achieve along with a sketch of the main points made in this study, then define some terms, and explain the conventions, abbreviations, and symbols used here. This paper is intended for both linguistic specialists and general readers as well, so please bear with me should I explain too much of anything, which is so obvious to specialists in the field study, or too little of everything, which general readers will find it difficult to follow. A) The background: I am well aware that today's belief in the linguistic world is going strongly more for theories of Mon-Khmer (MK) linguistic family of the Austroasiatic origin for Vietnamese than for those of older Sino-Tibetan camp. However, bear in mind that the current hypothesis about the Mon-Khmer genetic affinity of Vietnamese is still only another theory, an unfinished work, not quite satisfactorily proven yet. In this circumstance, the Sino-Tibetan school of thought is still holding ground for its prior theoretical merits, still worth being recapped and explored further because there are equally solid linguistic evidences pointing to that direction. In studying the Vietnamese language as it appears in its wholeness, in terms of its linguistic characteristics and traits, actually it doesn't matter much that whether initially it was originated from the Mon-Khmer root or not (1). What counts is what makes it up as a living language as it appears today with all the attributes that are the natural parts of the language. The English language can be considered as such a case, that is, when one look at this language, one see the language present itself in its wholeness, not just only the Anglo-Saxon parts of it. Similarly, Vietnamese is a language that has blended itself all Chinese elements that are impartable and one can see in it not only those or solely the Mon-Khmer traces. The fact, as presented in this study, that the nature of linguistic peculiarities of Vietnamese is so similar to Chinese in most of the aspects that make what a language of the Sino-Tibetan linguistic family look like should also make Vietnamese a class of the same linguistic family. Sidelining the main goal of proving the Chinese origin of thousands of Vietnamese words, this study is also an attempt to answer the question: "Is the Vietnamese language is characteristically more close to the Chinese language than to a Mon-Khmer language such as Khmer?" This paper will demonstrate that it is much more like Chinese, which is so obvious, above anything else, e.g. grammar, phonolgy, etc. with so many Vietnamese words that, at first sight, seem to be "pure" Vietnamese, but actually all have a Chinese origin. By taking the dissyllabic and analogical approaches suggested in this paper, readers will see how thousands of more Vietnamese vocabularies can be identified, which certainly have been neglected in the field of Vietnamese historical linguistics so far. Regarding the Mon-Khmer origin of Vietnamese, what has been discussed to date prior to this study mostly has been based on the claim that certain Vietnamese basic lexicons correspond to those words scattering unsystematically in many Mon-Khmer languages, many of which turn out to be cognates to those of Chinese. The question whether those old arguments on the matter of Mon-Khmer affinity are still valid or not according to the findings presented here is open for further discussion. How have I gone about this etymological affaire? Admittedly I am no Vietnamese historical linguist by training; I simply have been lucky enough for having been exposed to the Chinese language in some scholarly fields for quite a time. The encounter with the Chinese historical linguistics over the years has eroused inside me a curiosity for the Chinese linguistic past and that experience, the same as that of English learner who knows well the Latin and other Roman languages, has widened my knowlege of the Vietnamese etymology of Chinese origin. Hence from there has my conviction of the Sino-Tibetan connection grown much more firmly. For this matter, in the end of this research paper you will find a long list of the bibliography that I have read word by word -- not just by excerpts for the purposse of citing quotations to support my arguments -- over the past twenty years or more that has led me into such belief. Also, I will try to identify as many related resourceful linguistic websites as possible which I will readily admit I have only skimmed for related information, but not deliberately read them as in paper forms. Even though the electronic forms have proven their superior strengths, the problem of their reliabilty lies in the fact that down the line for the next 20 years, who knows how many of them will still be around and available as they are today in the cyberspace for interested readers to refer to just in case. Anyway, being totally fascinated by this subject I have spent enormous time to study both Vietnamese and Chinese historical linguistics and been compelled to explore the ideas of tracing etymological proofs for many Nôm words of Chinese origin. Just like a pilgrim who is in constant search for sacredly spiritual revelation in his or her life, in this etymological expedition I have unexpectedly stumbled upon hitches and hits in the ancient world of Chinese linguistic sound bits, for which I have jotted down in the old-fashioned index cards, and seen a whole picture of the Vietnamese etymological structure and essence. Indeed, I have finally come to terms that the Vietnamese and Chinese languages have so much more similarities, even more than what they share among the Sino-Tibetan languages themselves, than those of any other Mon-Khmer languages as have been suggested so far that they all were originated from the same root as that of Vietnamese. It is from this conviction that I have begun sorting things out and now I am in the process of gathering supporting arguments to nurture my hypothesis that most, if not all, Vietnamese words have a Chinese origin and sometimes they appear to be cognates to those of Chinese, that is, both from the same root. To be specific, in the process of working on this project, I have recorded substantial findings and have started to theorize them and I will, gradually, post them on the internet as I am progressing. This is the goal I am determined to pursue by setting forth the new linguistic expedition going for the Sino-Tibetan direction since I view language as a living thing as what actually appears to me with all its characteristics other than what originally was from start, let's say, ten thousand years ago. With the results found, with its genetic affinity proven valid or not, Vietnamese will probably once again be reconsidered and reclassified as a language that belongs to the Sino-Tibetan linguistic family given the common linguistic peculiarities in both Vietnamese and Chinese. The benefits, accordingly, from such classification come from the fact that it will enable us to approach Vietnamese historical linguistics from a much different and wider pespective by being able to access plenty of research tools and accompishments in Chinese linguistic studies made avalable to us to apply not only in Vietnamese historical linguistics or etymology, but also in various fields of Vietnamese studies as well, such as Vietnamese anthropology and archeology regarding the origin of the composition of Vietnamese people and their nation. It is possibly so as we all have known, most largest linguistic institutions on earth all have devoted and invested a large amount of resources and expertise in the field of studying the Chinese linguistics, so those benefits are foreseeable, for instance, any progress in any fields of Chinese linguistics can be equally applied to Vietnamese research without much reservation. Conversably, the same cannot be done with those of the Mon-Khmer languages. Let's say, Chinese is now treated as a polysyllabic language and that linguistic characteristic has faithfully reflected in its pinyin, or romanized transcription system, so should be the Vietnamese orthography in the context of its writing system reform. Lastly, as to my goal as stated on the outset, hopefully my final work will also give the Vietnamese etymology this kind of fresh perspective in addition to concrete results that future lexicographers will make use of to corporate into a Vietnamese dictionary with all etymological list for each word, which a Vietnamese dictionary is still lacking. (continued) .......................................... To read more....>>> Introduction to Sinitic-Vietnamese Studies - Ngườihiệuđính: dchph vào ngày Feb.15.2003, 17:00 pm ----------------------------- | ||||||||||||||||
 Feb.15.2003 16:39 pm
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