Changes in Chinese word creation over the last 16 years: A case study of new words (in Chinese)
论近16年里汉语新词语构造特点的变化——以1994年和2010年的新词语为例（中文文章）

Zuo Simin 左思民

Abstract 摘要
In this article, statistical and analytic methods are adopted to investigate 458 Chinese words created in 1994 and 497 created in 2010. Compared to the new words of 1994, those formed in 2010 exhibit six obvious characteristics: (1) There are more derived forms. (2) There are fewer abbreviations. (3) There are more homonym-based words. (4) There are fewer figurative nonce words. (5) There are more words with fresh and unusual meanings. (6) There are more words in a playful style. On the basis of these observations, some essential conclusions can be drawn as follows: (1) There have been significant changes in the creation of new words between 1994 and 2010. (2) The changes are caused by speakers’ psychological pursuit of fresh and unusual meanings, manifested in a humorous or ironic style using word-formation patterns. The word-formation patterns are shown to consist of two layers: an internal layer and an external layer. The former involves the characteristics of the morphemes and morpheme combinations within a word, while the latter involves the patterns of relationship between a word and what it refers to. According to this model, the following three factors are decisive in the formation of a new word with a fresh and unusual meaning and in a humorous or ironic style: (1) The degree of freshness of the morphemes used, (2) the degree of creativity of morpheme combinations, and (3) the degree of creativity of the intended meaning and function of the new words.

本文对1994年的458个汉语新词语和2010年的497个汉语新词语进行了分类统计和对比分析，概括出2010年汉语新词语不同于1994年汉语新词语的六个特点：1．派生词明显增加。2．减缩词明显减少。3．谐音词明显增加。4．仿词修辞格的使用明显减少。5．含有新奇色彩的词语明显增加。6．含有嘲谑色彩的词语明显增加。在以上论述的基础上，本文得到如下结论：1．和1994年相比，2010年汉语新词语的构造特点发生了明显的变化。2．究其原因，出于人们造词时求新求谑的心理，并借助于相应的造词模式而达成这种变化。本文还初步论述了造词模式，认为它由内部构造层和外部构造层组成，前者反映词语所含语素的特点及语素搭配的特点，后者反映词语和它们所指对象之间的关联方式。根据这个造词模式，以下三个因素对词语的新颖性和嘲谑性的形成具有决定作用：1．所含语素的新鲜程度。2．语素之间搭配的新奇程度。3．词语整体表意上是否别出心裁。

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