动量词“番”探源

本文考察了中古文献中动量词＂番＂＂反＂＂返＂等的使用情况,发现＂番＂兴起于南北朝,而＂反（返）＂作为动量词在东汉时已非常成熟。其动量词义来自动词义＂往返＂,＂番＂是＂反（返）＂的通假字,专门用来称量对答回合数。隋唐以后,可能由于避讳及追求更准确的语言表达的原因,＂番＂逐渐替代了＂反（返）＂,并发展成为现代汉语中的专用动量词。

On the Origin of the Verbal Measure Word Fan

This paper investigates the usage of character ＂fan＂ as verbal measure word in the mediaeval texts,and has discovered that ＂fan 番＂ as verbal measure word appeared in Northern and Southern Dynasties,but ＂fan 反（返）＂ used as verbal measure word was already matured as early as in Eastern Han Dynasty.The semantics of ＂fan＂ as verbal measure word came from the verb meaning ＂come and return＂,so the ＂fan 番＂ was a phonetic loan character of ＂fan 反（返）＂,being used to refer the times of responses.After the Sui and Tang Dynasties,possibly for some lipogrammatic reason or for the purpose of more accurate expression,＂fan 番＂ gradually replaced ＂fan 反（返）＂,and become the specialized verbal measure word in modern Chinese.