CHAPTER 1 Introduction
1.1 Research background
1.2 Research objectives and research questions
1.3 Research significance
1.4 Structure of the book
CHAPTER 2 Literature review
2.1 Break verbs in classical linguistics
2.2 Generative studies on break verbs
2.2.1 Generative derivational studies on break verbs
2.2.2 Jackendoff's generative decompositional study on break verbs
2.2.3 Levin's generative decompositional study on break verbs
2.2.4 Interim summary
2.3 Developmental psycholinguistic studies on break verbs
2.3.1 Adult-child variations in the categorization of break verbs
2.3.2 Cross-linguistic variations in children's categorization of break verbs
2.3.3 Interim summary
2.4 Cognitive linguistic studies on break verbs
2.4.1 Cognitive semantic extensionalist studies on break verbs
2.4.2 NSM studies on break verbs
2.4.3 Frame semantic studies on break verbs
2.4.4 Causal chain studies on break verbs
2.4.5 Talmy's cognitive semantic study on breaking events
2.4.6 Interim summary
2.5 Diachronic Chinese linguistic studies on break verbs
2.5.1 Diachronic syntactic studies on break verbs
2.5.2 Diachronic constructional studies on break verbs
2.6 Diachronic Chinese linguistic studies on lexical semantic change
2.7 Summary
2.7.1 What has been done
2.7.2 What needs to be done
CHAPTER 3 Research methodology and design
3.1 Theoretical framework
3.1.1 From classical theory to prototype theory
3.1.2 From prototype theory to DPS
3.1.3 From DPS to revised DPS
3.2 Research design
3.2.1 Research target
3.2.2 Research design
3.3 Research methods
3.3.1 Multivariate methods
3.3.2 MCA, Ctree, and Random forest
3.4 Data retrieval, annotation and analysis
3.4.1 Data retrieval
3.4.2 Data annotation
3.4.3 Data analysis
3.5 Summary
CHAPTER 4 Diachronic conceptual variation of extensional pò
4.1 Category member variation
4.1.1 Research findings
4.1.2 Prototypical member variation
4.1.3 Peripheral member variation
4.1.4 Interim summary
4.2 Conceptualization pattern variation
4.2.1 Research findings
4.2.2 Conceptual variable variation
4.2.3 Conceptual variable intersection
4.2.4 Interim summary
4.3 Summary
CHAPTER 5 Diachronic conceptual boundary variation of extensional pò, qie and k?i
5.1 Conceptual boundary between pò, qie and k?i in ancient Chinese
5.1.1 Research findings
5.1.2 Conceptual boundary variation
5.1.3 Interim summary
5.2 Conceptual boundary between pò, qie and k?i in Mandarin Chinese
5.2.1 Research findings
5.2.2 Conceptual boundary variation
5.2.3 Interim summary
5.3 Conceptual boundary variation between ancient Chinese and Mandarin Chinese
5.3.1 Conceptual boundary variation
5.3.2 Cognitive mechanisms
5.3.3 Interim summary
5.4 Summary
CHAPTER 6 Diachronic conceptual variation of intensional pò
6.1 Intensional readings of pò
6.1.1 Relational change
6.1.2 Cognitive change
6.1.3 Possessive change
6.1.4 Observance change
6.1.5 Emotional change
6.1.6 Temporal change
6.1.7 Interim summary
6.2 Correspondence between intensional readings and extensional references
6.2.1 Semantic lineage of disruptive separation
6.2.2 Semantic lineage of impediment removal separation
6.2.3 Semantic lineage of new function separation
6.3 Grammaticalization at semantic-syntactic interface
6.3.1 Grammaticalization at the semantic level
6.3.2 Grammaticalization at the syntactic level
6.4 Diachronic conceptual variation trajectory of intensional pò
6.5 Summary
CHAPTER 7 Conclusions
7.1 General conclusions
7.1.1 Diachronic conceptual variation pathways
7.1.2 Cognitive mechanisms
7.1.3