The universality of differentiation of word form and the theory of differentiation of Chinese characters

Abstract

The differentiation of word form or character is a universal phenomenon in language and writing systems, resulting from the evolution of the relationship between word sound and meaning. Polysemy, homonymy, and heteronymy are three basic causes of this phenomenon, which can be observed across all world languages and writing systems. The principle of Chinese character differentiation is also a manifestation of this universal law of word form differentiation. However, it is important to note that differentiation of cognate and non-cognate words occurs at the level of language, while character differentiation occurs at the level of the writing system. In the Chinese language, the monosyllabic nature of roots and the characteristics of Chinese character design based on meaning interact to determine the relationship between words and their graphic forms. The differentiation of monosyllabic words, including Jiajie (borrowing) and Tongxing (homophony) in archaic Chinese, is the fundamental driving force behind the differentiation of Chinese characters. Sound change and word form change are both markers used to distinguish words, but their effects are not equal. The differentiation of Chinese characters not only reflects the differentiation of words but also consolidates the results of the differentiation. In this interactive process, the Chinese language and writing system have evolved to become increasingly compatible and accurate.