Cover not available
Article In:
Asian Languages and Linguistics
Vol. 5:2 (2024) ► pp.251–280

Temporal information in sentence-final particles

Tse and keh in Modern Shanghai Wu

ORCID logo | SOAS University of London
This paper scrutinizes the claim that modern Shanghainese has sentence-final particles tse and keh that have tense-marking functions. We review works by Qian (2006; 2009), Chao (1926) and Li, Thompson & Thompson (1982) and analyze Shanghainese missionary texts on the use of these SFPs. Through a functional-discoursal investigation, we identify the IN-cluster use and the END-cluster use of tse. We take the temporal marking function of tse as a consequence of its discourse function, which introduces a (con)-current reference time in the discourse. On the other hand, we take keh as an assertion particle, whose occasional sense of recent past comes from its confirmation of a completed event.
Keywords: tense, aspect, sentence-final particle, Shanghainese, missionary linguistics
Article outline
  • 1.Modern Shanghai Wu
  • 2.Encoding time in modern Shanghai Wu: Some recent claims
  • 3.Two related studies
  • 4.Conceptual scrutiny
  • 5. Tse in missionary texts
    • 5.1Some general observations about tse
    • 5.2Two uses of the SFP tse
    • 5.3Sentence cluster and the discourse function of tse
  • 6. Keh in missionary texts
    • 6.1The multiple functions of SFPs
    • 6.2The senses of keh
  • 7.Concluding remarks
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
References (28)
References
Ali Paipai Feng Dao Ji. (1921). Ali Paipai Feng Dao Ji 阿里排排逢盜記 [Ali-Baba et les quarante voleurs]. Chang-Hai: Imprimarie de l’Orphelinat de T’ou-se-we, Ze-Ka- Wei.Google Scholar
American Bible Society. (1923). Shanghai Tubai Xinyue Quanshu 上海土白新約全書 [The New Testament, Shanghai vernacular translated version]. Shanghai: American Bible Society.Google Scholar
American Presbyterian Mission Press. (1895). Gospel of St. Matthew, Shanghai vernacular translated version. Shanghai: American Presbyterian Mission Press.Google Scholar
Bourgeois, Albert 蒲君南. (1939). Leçons sur le Dialecte de Chang-hai: Cours Moyen. Shanghai: Imprimerie de T’ou-sè-wè.Google Scholar
Chao, Yuen Ren 趙元任. (1926). Beijing, Suzhou, Changzhou yuzhuci de yanjiu 北京、蘇州、常州語助詞的研究 [A study of auxiliary words in the dialects of Beijing, Suzhou and Changzhou]. Tsinghua Xuebao 清華學報 [Journal of Tsinghua University] 3(2). 865–917. Also published as Chao (1992).Google Scholar
. (1992). Beijing, Suzhou, Changzhou yuzhuci de yanjiu 北京、蘇州、常州語助詞的研究 [A study of auxiliary words in the dialects of Beijing, Suzhou and Changzhou]. Fangyan 方言 [Dialect] 21. 85–111.Google Scholar
Heminway, Annie. (2016). Complete French grammar. 3rd edn. McGraw- Hill Education.Google Scholar
Hengli Shilu. (1856). Hengli Shilu 亨利實錄 (上海土白) [The history of Little Henry and his bearer (in Shanghai vernacular)]. 上洋 趙吟松 刊刻印訂.Google Scholar
Hofmann, Thomas R. (1993). Realms of meaning: An introduction to semantics. Longman.Google Scholar
Klein, Wolfgang. (2009). How time is encoded. In Wolfgang Klein & Ping Li (eds.), The expression of time, 39–81. Mouton de Gruyter. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Li, Charles N., Sandra A. Thompson & R. McMillan Thompson. (1982). The discourse motivation for the perfect aspect: The Mandarin particle LE . In Paul J. Hopper (ed.), Tense-aspect: Between semantics & pragmatics, vol. 11, 19–44. John Benjamins Publishing Company. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Macgowan, John 麥高溫. (1862). A collection of phrases in the Shanghai dialect systematically arranged. Shanghai: Presbytarian Mission Press.Google Scholar
Mann, William C. & Sandra A. Thompson. (1988). Rhetorical Structure Theory: Toward a functional theory of text organization. Text — Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of Discourse 8(3). 243–281. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Obata, Masabumi 御幡雅文. (1908). Huyu Bianshang 滬語便商 一名上海語 [The Shanghai dialect guide for visiting traders]. 東京: 御幡雅文.Google Scholar
Qian, Nairong 錢乃榮. (1996). Shanghai fangyan de yuqi zhuci 上海方言的語氣助詞 [Mood particles in Shanghai dialect]. Yuyan Yanjiu 語言研究 [Language Study] 11. 34–47.Google Scholar
. (1997). Shanghaihua Yufa 上海話語法 [A grammar of Shanghainese]. Shanghai People’s Press.Google Scholar
. (2004). Yige yufa cengci yanbian de shili — Shanghai fangyan 160 nian zhong xianzai wancheng shitai de xiaoshi guocheng 一個語法層次演變的實例 —— 上海方言 160 年中現在完成時態的消失過程， [A case study of grammatical change related to stratification]. Zhongguo Yuwen 中國語文 [Chinese Language] 31. 232–240.Google Scholar
. (2006). Wuyu zhong shi ti jiehe de fuhe shiti 吳語中時體結合的復合時體 [Compound tense and aspect in Wu dialects]. In Dah-an Ho, H. Samuel Cheung, Wuyun Pan & Fuxiang Wu (eds.), Shanggao Shuichang: Ting Pang-hsin Qizhi shouqing Lunwenji 山高水長：丁邦新先生七秩壽慶論文集 [Linguistic Studies in Chinese and Neighboring Languages: Festschrift in Honor of Professor Pang-hsin Ting on His 70th Birthday] (Language and Linguistics Monograph Series No. W-6), pp. 945–965. [URL] (28 August, 2021).
. (2009). Shanghai fangyan de shitai jiqi liubian 上海方言的時態及其流變 [Tense and aspect in Shanghai dialect and their evolution]. Dongfang Yuyanxue 東方語言學 [Eastern Linguistics] 51. Also published as Qian (2016: 57–67).Google Scholar
. (2010). Cong《Huyu Bianshang》suo jian de Shanghai hua shita i 從《滬語便商》所見的上海話時態 [Tenses and aspects? Old Shanghainese as found in the Shanghai Dialect Guide for Visiting Traders]. Journal of Chinese Linguistics (Diachronic Change and Language Contact — Dialects in South East China) 44–57.Google Scholar
. (2011). Lun xiandai hanyu zhong de shitai 論現代漢語中的時態 [On tense and aspect in modern Chinese]. Hanzangyu Xuebao 漢藏語學報 [Bulletin of Sino-Tibetan Languages] 51. Also published as Qian (2016: 68–82).Google Scholar
. (2014). Xifang Chuanjiaoshi Shanghai Fangyan Zhuzuo Yanjiu: 1847–1950 Nian de Shanghaihua 西方傳教士上海方言著作研究：1847–1950 年的上海話 [A Study of Western Missionary Works on Shanghai Dialect: Shanghainese between 1847 and 1950]. Shanghai University Press.Google Scholar
. (2016). Qian Nairong Yuyanxue Lunwenji 錢乃榮語言學論文集 [Linguistic Works by Qian Nairong]. Shanghai University Press.Google Scholar
Shengjing Shiji. (1892). Shengjing Shiji 聖經史記 (1–5) [Old Testament History]. Vol. Vol. 11: 1886, Vol. 21: 1892, Vol. 3–41: 1889, Vol. 51: 1890. The American Presbyterian Mission Press.Google Scholar
Shi, Ye 施曄. (2017). Jindai chuanjiaoshi suo zhuan Shanghai fangyan wenxian kaoshu 近代傳教士所撰上海方言文獻考述 [A Study on Shanghai Dialect Documents Written by the Western Missionaries in Modern China]. 道風:基督教文化評論 [Logos & Pneuma: Chinese Journal of Theology] 461. 115–156.Google Scholar
Tang, Zhixiang 湯志祥. (2000). Shiyong Shanghai Hua 實用上海話 [Practical Shanghainese]. Shanghai Education Press.Google Scholar
Wu, Weizhang 吳為章 & Xiaolin Tian 田小琳. (2000). Hanyu Juqun 漢語句群 [Chinese Sentence Clusters]. Beijing: Commercial Press.Google Scholar
Zhu, Zhenmiao 朱貞淼, Weifeng Cao 曹偉鋒, & Nairong Qian 錢乃榮. (2017). Shanghai Fengxian qu Zhuanghang zhen fangyan de shitai jiqi yufahua guocheng. 上海奉賢區莊行鎮方言的時態及其語法化過程. [The tense and its grammaticalization process in the dialect of Zhuanghang Town, Fengxian District, Shanghai]. Studies in Language and Linguistics 語言研究 37(1). 49–53.Google Scholar