The Chinese Language Today [antikvár]

PREFACE The purpose of this book is to describe the main features of the standard variant of Chinese spoken at present in Mainland China, and alsó to point out somé of the major generál issues reflected in the process of its formation. Although the book roughly out-lines the system of the standard form of Modern Chinese, it is not a textbook or a grammar; neither is it primarlíy concerned with writing or the overall historical development of Chinese, and comments in these respects are made only where they are of somé importance to the main topic. One of the major problems which arise when a language like Chinese is discussed is a certain lack of a generál frame of refer-ence: relatively little of what has now become universally taken for granted about the more familiar languages appears valid for Chinese, or at least valid without reservations. On the other hand, the Chinese language has acquired an unfortunate position among the kind of exotic phenoména about which various myths and misconceptions persevere with surprising tenacity in the West. On the whole, this means that any attempt at a serious discussion of any aspect of Chinese tends to be directed towards elementary matters rather than delicate points. This book is intended to be such an attempt, and the preceding statement should perhaps partly explain the author's awareness of its obvious shortcomings. The greater part of this book is based on lectures given by the author at Cambridge University in the years 1963-1966. The informál atmosphere of small classes substantially contributed to the final result, and the author wishes to express his gratitude to