A Historical Study of Classifier in Japan

本课题的研究成果如下：1.研究成果。调查者检查了量词，并在时间允许的情况下收集了每个时期、每种文体体裁、每种写作材料等的例子。它是对古代文献、古籍、读本资料、佛教仪式祈祷文、书信模型、词典、古今文献和当代算术教科书的广泛调查。调查人员对日本自古以来就经常叫卖的鹰的分类进行了历史研究，需要进一步仔细考虑每一种分类，如衣物分类、鱼类和贝类分类等，或者分类的每一个主题。研究发现，尤其是从中世纪到江户时代的文献起草，分类器是不可或缺的。准确掌握量词用法是起草者必备的修养和技能。调查者仔细研究了敦煌遗址和中国墓葬中的古代木条，收集了许多量词的例子，即良词。调查者还考察了东南亚的泰语、老挝语、马来语、高棉语、越南语等量词，并考虑了构成分类基础的原则。调查员检查了一份当代报纸上的量词用法。那里的量词用法过于简单化，这是一件令人遗憾的事情。研究者对岛根地区方言中的量词进行了研究。

Reserch results in the term of project are as follows.1. The investigator examined the classifiers and collected those examples in each period, each style genre, each writing-material and so on, as far as time permited. It is the extensive investigation of ancient documents, ancient records, reading-mark materials, Buddhism ritual prayrs, models for a letter, dictionaries, classical and modern literatures and contemporary arithmetic textbooks.2. The investigator had a historical study about the classifiers of a hawk which had been made good use of hawking since olden times in Japan.It needs further close consideration to each of fierds, such as a fierd of clothing, a fierd of fishes and shellfishes and others, or to each of the subjects of classifier.3. It was found out that classifier was indispensable for drawing up documents from the mediaval period to the Edo era especially. It was the essential culture and technique for drafter to master classifier usage precisely.4. The investigator researched closely ancient wooden-strips from the remains of Dun huang and tombs in China and collected many examples of classifier, namely Liangci.The investigator is also examining classifier in Thai, Lao, Malay, Khmer, Vietnamese and so on in Southeast Asia.The investiator is considering the principles which forms the basis of classification.5. The investigator checked classifier usage in a contemporary newspaper. It is a matter for regret that classifier usage there is too simplified.6. The investigator researched classifier in Shimane regional dialect.