| Change log entry 63670 | |
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| Processed by: | richwarm (2017-05-30 00:00:31 UTC) |
| Comment: |
<< review queue entry 60231 >> Looks like it's also a noun. In all these examples, it's paralleled or contrasted with other nouns. 他的头脑被恐惧、"愚昧"和迷信所麻痹。 我便看出智慧胜过愚昧，如同光明胜过黑暗。 未曾听完先回答的，便是他的愚昧和羞辱。 但是，宪法并未要求大学就该宣扬愚昧。 Or do we consider that it's just a noun use of an adjective? --------------------------------- Editor: Hi "Anon.", aka Julien (in this case). It so happens I was just reading https://brannerchinese.com/publications/Branner_Meng_Syntactic_Yoga_in_Chinese_English_Lexicography.pdf Branner and Meng describe how many Chinese words can be viewed as nouns, adjectives and verbs. In writing definitions of them, it's a matter of considering which syntactic functions are more prominent. In this case, it seems that 愚昧 certainly often functions as a noun. I suppose there are at least three ways to go: 1. gloss it as "ignorant" and leave it to the user to apply "syntactic yoga" to derive the noun [see quote below] 2. gloss it as "ignorance" and leave it to the user to derive the adjective 3. gloss it as both a noun and an adjective I choose #3. Here's a quote from the article: <quote> The seemingly different parts of speech and definitions, which may be phrased very differently in English, are like outward asanas; the unchanging Chinese word may be compared to the inner state of the yogi. Practically speaking, then, how does one practice this “syntactic yoga”, and how should it be applied to the processes of lexicography? [An example is given.] There is really only one word involved, but its part of speech and meaning change with its syntactic function; English makes those changes patent, like a yogi changing from one pose to another. [For example:] Beginning with an adjective, meaning “possessing some quality, X”: a derived noun generally means “that quality, X”; 诚实 Adj: honest N: honesty (derivation: the quality of being ‘honest’) 麻烦 Adj: annoying, troublesome N: annoyance, nuisance, trouble (derivation: one that possesses the quality of being ‘annoying’) [Going the other direction:] Beginning with a noun (N), which names a person, place, or thing, “X”: a derived adjective (Adj) generally means “possessing or reflecting characteristics of X”; 傻气 N: air of foolishness Adj: foolish (derivation: possessing the quality ‘air of foolishness’) <end of quote> |
| Diff: |
- 愚昧 愚昧 [yu2 mei4] /ignorant/uneducated/ + 愚昧 愚昧 [yu2 mei4] /ignorant/uneducated/ignorance/ |