Procedural Representation of Past-Time Reference in Chinese

Authors

DOI https://doi.org/10.56989/benkj.v6i8.2040

Keywords:

procedural representation , syntax , Chinese language , past tense effect , semisuffixes , modal particles , combinatory semantics

Abstract

تبحث هذه المقالة في التمثيل الإجرائي للزمن الماضي في اللغة الصينية ضمن الإطار التصريحي-الإجرائي. ولأن اللغة الصينية تفتقر إلى علم الصرف، تُعبَّر العلاقات الزمنية من خلال وسائل معجمية وسياقية ونحوية. وعلى وجه الخصوص، يمكن إنشاء "تأثير الزمن الماضي"، وهو فاصل زمني يقع بين أحداث ماضية مكتملة ناتج عن تركيب وحدات نحوية متعددة. بالاستناد إلى التراث اللغوي الصيني الياباني والدلالات التركيبية، يحلل البحث دور علامات الأبجدية النحوية مثل أشباه اللواحق 了 (-le) و 过 (guo)، والجسيم المودال 了 (le)، والمضخم 就 (jiù) في إنتاج تأثير العلاقات الزمنية. يستند التحليل إلى 879 جملة من النسخة الإلكترونية للقاموس الصيني-الروسي الكبير، بما في ذلك 215 مثالًا على إنشاء تأثير الزمن الماضي.تتوافق النتائج المرصودة مع الأبحاث السابقة، وتسلط الضوء على تفاعل لم يُدرس بشكل كافٍ بعد بين شبه اللاحقة 了 (-le) و 就 (jiù) والجسيم المودال 了 (le) ودورها في إنشاء تأثير الزمن الماضي. تُسهم الدراسة بشكل أساسي في نظرية النحو الصيني، والدلالات التركيبية، والذكاء الاصطناعي.الكلمات المفتاحية: التمثيل الإجرائي؛ النحو؛ اللغة الصينية؛ تأثير الزمن الماضي؛ أشباه اللواحق؛ الجسيمات المودال؛ الدلالات التركيبية.

This article examines the procedural representation of past tense in the Chinese language within the declarative–procedural framework. As Chinese lacks morphology, temporal relations are expressed through lexical, contextual, and syntactic means. In particular, the "past tense effect" can be created, a temporal interval that occurs between completed past events produced by the combination of multiple syntactic units. Drawing on the Sino-Japanese linguistic tradition and combinatory semantics, the research analyzes the role of syntax alphabet signs such as the semisuffixes 了 (-le) and 过 (guo), the modal particle 了 (le), and the amplifier 就 (jiù) in producing the temporal relations effect. The analysis is based on 879 sentences from the electronic version of the Great Chinese-Russian Dictionary, including 215 examples of the past tense effect creation. The observed findings are consistent with prior research, highlighting a yet underexplored interaction between semisuffix了 (-le), 就 (jiù), modal particle 了 (le) and their role in the past tense effect creation. The study mainly contributes to the theory of Chinese syntax, combinatory semantics and artificial intelligence.

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Author Biographies

Mr. Pavel Gibkij

Department of Theory and Practice of the Chinese Language, Belarusian State University of Foreign Languages.

Dr. Allali Khadija

PHD, King Fahd School of Translation Tanger, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Morocco

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Published

08/01/2026

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How to Cite

Gibkij, P., & Allali, K. (2026). Procedural Representation of Past-Time Reference in Chinese. Ibn Khaldoun Journal for Studies and Researches, 6(8). https://doi.org/10.56989/benkj.v6i8.2040

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