When I first tried to read linguistics articles written in Chinese, I encountered a very steep learning curve. Unlike linguistics articles in Romance languages, which often have very similar vocabulary to English articles because their specialized terms are borrowed from the same Latin and Greek words, Chinese articles use a terminology set which I found I often had to look up word by word. The goal of this small dictionary is to de-steepen the learning curve for others who want to read linguistics articles in Chinese (or, perhaps, Chinese readers new to English linguistics articles).
The selection of words here is basically ad hoc rather than principled: these are the words I encountered and had to look up, or those that I found used most often. At the moment there are only semantics and syntax terms here (although many of these words may occur in other subfields as well). I hope to add phonological terms as well, eventually. We'll see what happens.
Many linguistics terms which originated in English have been translated in different ways by different Chinese authors. When I was aware of multiple translations, I've included them all here. My failure to include an alternative translation is probably due to my not encountering those alternatives, rather than any conscious choice about what is a better translation. Suggestions for other translations, as well as corrections, or suggestions for new terms, are all very welcome: email kirchner "at" ucsc "dot" edu.
Some of the terms here were generously provided by Sharon Zhao.
First posted: January 21, 2006.
Last revision: November 6, 2008.
CHINESE - ENGLISH
2 strokes
X 标杆理论 : X-bar theory
4 strokes
介词 : preposition
从句 : subordinate clause
不定指 : indefinite
丰富普遍语法 : universal grammar (UG)
分析 : analysis ; analyze
5 strokes
句法 : syntax
主语 : subject
主题 : topic
主语呼应短语 : AgrSP
主语显著性 : subject-prominent
主题显著性 : topic-prominent
主格 : nominative
功能投射 : functional projection
功能范畴 : functional category
互指 : co-referential
代名词 : pronoun
6 strokes
论元指派统一论 : Uniform Theta Assignment Hypothesis (UTAH)
论元 : argument
名词 : noun
动词 : verb
动词短语 : verb phrase (VP)
乔姆斯基 : (Noam) Chomsky ; Chomskyan
回指 : anaphor
共指 : co-referential
同指 : co-referential
考察 : inspect ; investigate
7 strokes
范畴 : category
役格 : causative
补语 : complement
体貌成分 : aspect
词汇范畴 : lexical category
形容词 : adjective
来回指 : anaphoric
作类指 : generic
投射 : projection
完整功能体 : complete functional complex (CFC)
约束 : binding
附加语 : adjunct
系统 : system
灵活性 : flexibility
8 strokes
屈折语短语 : inflectional phrase (IP)
话题以说明 : topic-comment
限定词 : determiner
限定词短语 : determiner phrase (DP)
具体 : specific; concrete
定指 : definite
非常规 : marked
受约束 : bound
规范 : standard
话题 : topic
非标记 : unmarked
经济原则 : economy principle
话题链 : topic chain
9 strokes
语法 : grammar
语汇 : vocabulary ; lexicon
语境 : context
语境依赖性 : context-dependency
语气助词 : modal (verb/particle)
语素 : morpheme
语迹 : trace
语义学 : semantics
原则 : principle
轻动词短语 : light verb phrase (vP)
标句词短语 : complementizer phrase (CP)
宾语 : object
宾语呼应短语 : AgrOP
结构 : structure
封闭集合 : closed set
相关短语 : interrelated phrases
界限 : limit; boundary
指称词 : referential expression (R-expression)
指称对象 : co-referential
标记 : marked
前指 : anaphor
省略 : ellipsis; omission
10 strokes
核心 : core; nucleus; kernel
称相互代词 : reciprocal pronoun
格赖斯 : Grice; Gricean
格式 : form
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通指 : generic
常规 : unmarked
理论 : theory
谓语词短语 : heavy verb phrase (VP)
副词 : adverb
第一原则 : Condition A of the Binding Theory
第二原则 : Condition B of the Binding Theory
第三原则 : Condition C of the Binding Theory
谓词 : predicate
谓语 : predicate
12 strokes
最简方案 : minimalist program
焦点 : focus
焦点短语 : focus phrase (FocusP, FocP)
短语 : phrase
最大投射 : maximal projection
最高延伸性 : maximal projection
集合 : set
集合名词 : mass noun
普遍语法 : universal grammar
13 strokes
简练原则 : economy principle
照应语 : anaphor
14 strokes
模型 : model
管约 : Government and Binding (GB)
管辖─约束 : Government and Binding (GB)
ENGLISH - CHINESE
adjunct : 附加语
adverb : 副词
AgrOP : 宾语呼应短语
AgrSP : 主语呼应短语
adjective : 形容词
analysis : 分析
analyze : 分析
anaphor(ic) : 前指 ; 回指 ; 照应语 ; 来回指
argument : 论元
aspect : 体貌成分
binding : 约束
bound : 受约束
category : 范畴
causative : 役格
CFC : 完整功能体
Chomsky : 乔姆斯基
Chomskyan : 乔姆斯基
complement : 补语
closed set : 封闭集合
complementizer phrase : 标句词短语
complete functional complex : 完整功能体
Condition A of the Binding Theory : 第一原则
Condition B of the Binding Theory : 第二原则
Condition C of the Binding Theory : 第三原则
context : 语境
context-dependency : 语境依赖性
core : 核心
co-referential : 共指 ; 同指 ; 互指 ; 指称对象
CP : 标句词短语
definite : 定指
determiner : 限定词
determiner phrase : 限定词短语
DP : 限定词短语
economy principle : 经济原则 ; 简练原则
ellipsis: 省略
flexibility : 灵活性
FocP : 焦点短语
focus : 焦点
FocusP : 焦点短语
focus phrase : 焦点短语
form : 格式
functional category : 功能范畴
functional projection : 功能投射
GB : 管约 ; 管辖─约束
generic : 通指 ; 作类指
Government and Binding : 管约 ; 管辖─约束
grammar : 语法
Grice(an) : 格赖斯
heavy verb phrase : 谓语词短语
indefinite : 不定指
inflectional phrase : 屈折语短语
inspect : 考察
interrelated phrases : 相关短语
investigate : 考察
IP : 屈折语短语
kernel : 核心
lexical category : 词汇范畴
lexicon : 语汇
light verb phrase : 轻动词短语
limit; boundary : 界限
marked : 标记 ; 非常规
mass noun : 集合名词
maximal projection : 最大投射 ; 最高延伸性
minimalist program : 最简方案
modal (verb/particle) : 语气助词
model : 模型
morpheme : 语素
Noam Chomsky : 乔姆斯基
nominative : 主格
noun : 名词
nucleus : 核心
object : 宾语
omission :省略
phrase : 短语
predicate : 谓词 ; 谓语
preposition : 介词
principle : 原则
projection : 投射
pronoun : 代名词
reciprocal pronoun : 称相互代词
referential expression : 指称词
R-expression : 指称词
semantics : 语义学
set : 集合
specific; concrete : 具体
standard : 规范
structure : 结构
subject-prominent : 主语显著性
system : 系统
subject : 主语
syntax : 句法
subordinate clause : 从句
theory : 理论
topic : 话题 ; 主题
topic chain : 话题链
topic-comment : 话题以说明
topic-prominent : 主题显著性
trace : 语迹
UG : 丰富普遍语法
Uniform Theta Assignment Hypothesis : 论元指派统一论
universal grammar : 普遍语法 ; 丰富普遍语法
unmarked : 非标记 ; 常规
UTAH : 论元指派统一论
verb : 动词
verb phrase : 动词短语
vocabulary : 语汇
VP : 动词短语
VP (heavy VP) : 谓语词短语
vP : 轻动词短语
X-bar theory : X 标杆理论