早期粵語中的“畀”字句

本文嘗試從語義及句法兩層面探討「畀」在早期粵語中的不同用法，包括給予動詞、與事標記、工具標記、使動標記、被動標記。我們認為這些不同用法都源自「畀」所表示的給予動作的理想化認知模式。其中給予動作的三個特點：受益、用手、擁有權轉移促使「畀」分別發展成與事標記、工具標記、使動標記。表示工具和使動的「畀」再進一步發展成被動標記。但引發的條件並不一樣。表工具的「畀」在受事出現在主語位置時，便發展出被動義；而表使動的「畀」要在主語的操控性降低的條件下才發展出被動義，特別是在否定句中，動詞為感官動詞和非動作動詞時，「畀」就很容易從使動標記發展成被動標記。This study attempts to explore from both semantic and syntactic perspectives the various uses of bei in early Cantonese, including a verb of giving, a dative marker, an instrument marker, a causative marker and a passive marker. We propose that the above uses originated from bei's Idealized Cognitive Model of the act of giving. Three features of the act of giving, i.e. benefit, the use of hands and the transfer of possession, motivated the verb of bei to develop into a dative marker, an instrument marker and a causative marker, respectively. The uses of bei as an instrument marker and 狂 causative marker further evolved into a passive use based on different conditions. While the presence of a patient suoject caused the instrument marker bei to develop into a passive marker, the loss of control of the subject, especially when a negative sentence and a sensory verb or a non-action verb are involved, easily triggered the causative marker bei to become a passive marker.