Author : Michael Lackner
Publisher : BRILL
ISBN 13 : 9004501665
Total Pages : 473 pages
Book Rating : 4.69/5 ( download)
Book Synopsis New Terms for New Ideas by : Michael Lackner
Download or read book New Terms for New Ideas written by Michael Lackner and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2021-11-15 with total page 473 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is about the lasting impact of new (Western) notions on the 19th and early 20th century Chinese language; their invention, spread and standardization. Reaching beyond the mere cataloguing of the thousands of lexical innovations in this period of change, the essays explore the multiple ways in which initially alien notions were naturalized in Chinese scientific and political discourse. Topics examined range from preconceptions about the capacity of the Chinese language to accommodate foreign ideas, the formation of specific nomenclatures and the roles of individual translators, to Chinese and European attempts at coming to terms with each other’s grammar. By systematically analysing and assessing the lexical adaptation of Western notions in Chinese contexts, the book will serve as a valuable reference work for all those interested in the historical semantics of modern China.