契丹语动词“卒”考释

Abstract

The form of the Khitan verb is an important research content of the Khitan verb. By investigating the different forms of the verbs denoting “zu” in the Khitan inscriptions published so far, the author observes that the verb 丙 refers to “zu” and “wu(do not have)”. When it is used as “zu”, the subject in the sentence is female singular, while when it is used as “wu”, the subject is male singular. □□ denotes “zu”. When it is used as a predicatein a sentence, the subject of it is male singular. When □□(□夯)is used as a predicate of a sentence, the subject of it is female plural. Therefore, the author holds that in Khitan sentences, there do exist the phenomena of “number” harmony and “gender” harmony between the subject and the predicate. The fact that the verb 丙 goes with female subject as well as male subject proves that the rule “the suffixes and words that modify the “feminine gender” in Khitan have the function of modifying the “masculine gender”” put forward by the predecessor is also applicable to the “gender” harmony phenomenon between subject and predicate in Khitan sentences. The verb suffix □ denotes male singular. The fact that it goes only with male subjects is consistent with the argument “the suffixes and words that modify the “masculine gender” cannot refer to the ”feminine gender”” proposed by the predecessor. Besides, the author explains the phonological connection between □□及 and “Yelu(person name)”through “Vowel Appending Method”, and with textual research, holds that the chiseled year of “Gao” was no later than the sixth year of Qian Heng (1106).