ABC Etymological Dictionary of Old Chinese (ABC Chinese Dictionary Series) (Hardcover)

~ Axel Schuessler (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This is the first genuine etymological dictionary of Old Chinese written in any language. As such, it constitutes a milestone in research on the evolution of the Sinitic language group. Whereas previous studies have emphasized the structure of the Chinese characters, this pathbreaking dictionary places primary emphasis on the sounds and meanings of Sinitic roots. Based on more than three decades of intensive investigation in primary and secondary sources, this completely new dictionary places Old Chinese squarely within the Sino-Tibetan language family (including close consideration of numerous Tiberto-Burman languages), while paying due regard to other language families such as Austroasiatic, Miao-Yao (Hmong-Mien), and Kam-Tai.

Designed for use by nonspecialists and specialists alike, the dictionary is highly accessible, being arranged in alphabetical order and possessed of numerous innovative lexicographical features. Each entry offers one or more possible etymologies as well as reconstructed pronunciations and other relevant data. Words that are morphologically related are grouped together into "word families" that attempt to make explicit the derivational or other etymological processes that relate them. The dictionary is preceded by a substantive and significant introduction that outlines the author’s views on the linguistic position of Chinese within Asia and details the phonological and morphological properties, to the degree they are known, of the earliest stages of the Chinese language and its ancestor. This introduction, because it both summaries and synthesizes earlier work and makes several original contributions, functions as a useful reference work all on its own.

The ABC Etymological Dictionary of Old Chinese is a monumental achievement in the history of Chinese linguistics, offering many new hypotheses and systematically evaluating and incorporating earlier scholarship. It will be warmly welcomed by scholars in a wide variety of China- and Asia-related fields, including early Chinese language, literature, culture, and thought as well as the broader cultural-linguistic landscape of prehistorical East and Southeast Asia.

About the Author

Axel Schuessler is emeritus professor at Wartburg College, Iowa.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 656 pages
• Publisher: University of Hawaii Press; Bilingual edition (December 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824829751
• ISBN-13: 978-0824829759
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.9 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #207,935 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent reference book, March 25, 2007

By	D. Yu (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is great for looking up Old Chinese word families and their Tibeto-Burman comparanda. Arranged by pinyin, cross-referenced and indexed, it's very handy. Right after I got it, a classmate asked me "where does the Mandarin question particle ma5 come from?" We looked it up and there it was. (It's probably related to the negative marker wu2.) It proved its worth on day 1. :-)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A godsend!, February 13, 2009

By	Bubbha (Taiwan) - See all my reviews

The fact that a dictionary like this is finally available is a wonderful thing for someone like me, fascinated both with the Chinese language and with historical linguistics. Books and online information regarding the historical linguistics of the Chinese language are woefully inadequate, and those that are available are often poorly researched or chock full of folk etymology. Then along comes this godsend of a book, packed with the findings of numerous scholars and experts in this field, satisfying a great deal of my curiosity.

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the development of the Chinese language over time.

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensible, March 21, 2010

By	Bao Pu (Canada) - See all my reviews

Axel Schuessler's Etymological Dictionary of Old Chinese is a true etymological dictionary, giving phonetic reconstructions of Old, Middle, etc. Chinese. It also provides cognates within and without ancient Chinese, English meanings, where one can find examples in the Classical literature, dialect forms, etc. He says his English glosses "are mostly taken from, or are based on, Karlgren's GSR, Schuessler's own Dictionary of Early Zhou Chinese, Gudai Hanyu Cidian, edited by Chen Fuhua(Beijing 1999) and the Zhongwen Dacidian" [Morohashi Tetsuji?]." As a bonus he also usually provides William Baxter's Old Chinese reconstructions. Organized by pinyin and includes a brief English index.