The connection between the monosyllabic hypothesis and wordhood of Chinese in pre-20th century European works

Abstract

Before the twentieth century, European scholars frequently asserted that Chinese was monosyllabic, a hypothesis closely intertwined with their definition of ‘word’. However, precisely defining ‘word’ and determining which entities qualify as such pose challenges in Chinese linguistics. While the direct definition of ‘word’ was not the primary focus of early European scholars’ Chinese research, their conceptual frameworks are evident throughout their works. Generally, scholars who approached the definition of ‘word’ from an orthographic or lexical standpoint tended to assert that Chinese is monosyllabic. Conversely, those who based their definition of ‘word’ on semantic and phonological considerations objected to characterising Chinese as monosyllabic. However, the relationship between scholars’ discussions on wordhood and their assessments of the monosyllabic hypothesis of Chinese is complicated. Some scholars did not adhere to a single perspective on or altered their approach to Chinese wordhood, thereby influencing their perspectives on the monosyllabic hypothesis of Chinese.