No CrossRef data available.
Article contents
The Relation Between the Final Particles Yu
and Yee
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 December 2009
Extract
The particle 
, 
yu is (with 
hu and 
, 
ye) one of the three main interrogative particles in classical Chinese. It has been claimed by some Chinese scholars that in certain cases yu is not interrogative and is equivalent to 
yee, a particle with a bewildering variety of functions. One example is given by Wang Yiinjy 
(1766-1834).1
- Type
- Articles
- Information
- Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , February 1957 , pp. 105 - 123
- Copyright
- Copyright © School of Oriental and African Studies 1957
References
page 105 note 1 Jingjuann shyhtsyr 
(Shyuesheng gwoshyue tsongshu 
page 105 note 2 Guushu shiutzyh jyishyh 
(Jonghwa shujyu 
1954), 245–50.
page 106 note 1 Jos. L. M. Mullie, Grondbeginselen van de Chinese letterkundige taal, n.d., III, 344.
page 107 note 1 While preparing this article I received a copy of George A. Kennedy's‘Word-classes in classical Chinese ’(Wennti, Yale, No. 9, 1956). A brief reference to yu shows that he has reached conclusions similar to my own.‘One of the important expressive differences in Mencius is between final yo 
and yaa 
…lej yo 
“Is it the rule ? ” lej yaa 
“It is the rule ”. Two factors are to be noted, either or both of which may be significant. There is a contrast in vocalism represented by ο/a. More important, perhaps, is a contrast in tone represented by 
In this example the simple difference made by either or both of these factors is that between a question and a statement’ (p. 31).
page 109 note 1 This sentence is puzzling; if it were not for the context one would take it to mean ‘Was not Goan Jonq a good man ? ’ Compare examples 24–31 below.
page 112 note 1 Wang Yiinjy, op. cit., 4/22–24.
page 112 note 2 Compare these two almost identical sentences in Mohtzyy 
: Syhbuh tsongkan, 9/8A/7, 8: 
9/12A/1–3:
I don't recall whether they were the sage and good men of the ancient Three Dynasties, or rather the tyrannical and unworthy men of the ancient Three Dynasties ? Yee in the first is replaced by yu in the second.
page 116 note 1 Omitting the second 
It is hardly plausible to take it as ‘(the gift acquired by) hold-ups ’ (Legge:‘the gift so acquired by robbery ’), and if 
is an active verb one would expect it to be preceded by kee yii. Jaw Chyi's paraphrase of the last clause is 
.
page 116 note 2 Mencius, 138/1.
page 116 note 3 In (85) 408/2 
(cf. No. 67 above), yii is omitted after kee in Sonqbeen shyrsanjing juh suh fuh jiawkan jih 
(Mohwanqshiangoan 
1887), 11
/3B/14. But Roan Yuan 
notes: ‘Every (other) copy has yii under kee; in this copy it has fallen out’ 
(Menqtzyy jiawkan jih 
24B/9).
page 118 note 1 Omitting the first two characters 
page 119 note 1 Ut sup., 4/15,16.
page 119 note 2 Grammata Serica (Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, 12, 1940),Google Scholar Nos. 47, 89.
page 119 note 3 1/5A/6, 7, 5/6A/8.
page 120 note 1 The last of the four, which, as the objector points out, does not imply indecision, is a question made rhetorical by the modal 
chyi.
page 120 note 2 Ut sup., 4/17, 18, 22–24.
page 120 note 3 Sheen Gua 
(1030–93), Menqchi biitarn 
Syhbuh tsongkan), 15/1A. Wang Yiinjy, ut sup., 9/14. Peir Shyuehae, ut sup., 768. Yang Shuhdar 
Tsyrchiuan 
5/30.
page 120 note 4 B. Karlgren, Analytical dictionary of Chinese, 1923, 336. (But in Grammata Serica, No. 45, he gives the equivalent as jy hu.) Kennedy, George A., JAOS, LX, 1940, 197, 199.Google Scholar Mullie, ut sup., III, 291.Mathews, R.H.,Chinese-English dictionary, 1931, 192.Google ScholarGraham, A.C.,BSOAS, XIV, 1, 1952, 139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
page 121 note 1 Harvard-Yenehing Sinological Index Series: Yihjing, Shyjing, Chuenchiou (and three juann), Analects, Mencius, Mohtzyy, Juangtzyy, Shyuntzyy. Morimoto Kakuzō
Shisho sakuin 
Gokyō sakuin 
Tsay Tynggann 
Lao jiee Lao 
.
page 122 note 1 The figures under B are included in the figures under A.
page 122 note 2 The character 
is not found in these texts.
page 122 note 3 
occurs only once in the Tzuoojuann and once in Juangtzyy.
page 122 note 4 The yu of the Shyjing is an exclamatory particle, not necessarily the same word as the interrogative yu: Shy No. 281 
‘Oh, in the Ts'i and Ts'u (rivers) … ’ 301 
‘How rich, how ample !’ (B. Karlgren, Book of Odes, Stockholm, 1950). Similar examples are found occasionally later, for example Analects, 181/4, 5 
‘Return! Return!’
page 123 note 1 It is also possible that a single word in archaic Chinese may have changed its tone and its final according to whether the sentence was indicative or interrogative. Kennedy (Wennti, ut sup.) seems to be moving his attention from fusion to the exploration of this possibility.
page 123 note 2 Grammata Serica, ut sup., Nos. 4, 55, 89.
page 123 note 3 Shy yunn puu 
(Yenching Journal Supplement, 21), 1950, 7.