Outline of Classical Chinese Grammar is a comprehensive introduction to the syntactical analysis of classical Chinese. Focusing on the language of the high classical period, which ranges from the time of Confucius to the unification of the empire by Qin in 221, the book pays particular attention to the Mencius, the Lunyu, and, to a lesser extent, the Zuozhuan texts.

Outline of Classical Chinese Grammar starts with a brief historical overview and a discussion of the relation between the writing system and the phonology. This is followed by an outline of overall principles of word order and sentence structure. The next sections deal with the main sentence types - nominal predicates, verbal predicates, and numberical expressions, which constitute a special type of quasiverbal predication. The final sections cover such topics as subordinate constitutents of sentences, nondeclarative sentence types, and complex sentences.

A classic in the field, this comprehensive analysis of classical Chinese includes a historical overview, principles of word order and sentence structure, and analyses of sentence types and complex sentences.

About the Author
Edwin G. Pulleyblank is a professor emeritus in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia.

Reviews
By any measure the most important book-length work on Classical Chinese grammar to have appeared in a Western language since Gabelentz's comprehensive grammar of more than a century ago ... a very sophisticated and scholarly treatment of Classical Chinese grammar, it is all the same entirely appropriate for even a beginning-level class. -- William G. Boltz * Journal of Asian Studies *
Finally there is a comprehensive grammar of Wenyan in English. Here in one volume one has handy the major grammar references needed to approach Classical Chinese texts. This useful book is the first comprehensive treatment of the grammar of the ancient form of Chinese used by the great philosophers like Confucius and Mencius.... useful to all students of Classical Chinese language and philosophy. * Wordtrade *



Book Information
ISBN 9780774805414
Author Edwin G. Pulleyblank
Format Paperback
Page Count 208
Imprint University of British Columbia Press
Publisher University of British Columbia Press
Weight(grams) 280g