Re: Invention of the Alphabet

Lee Sau Dan wrote:
>>>>>>"Harlan" == Harlan Messinger <hmessinger.removethis@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
>
>
> Harlan> Out of curiosity, can you tell us your interpretation of
> Harlan> the distinction between 字(zi4) and 詞 (ci2) ?
>
> There is no clear distinction. Much like there is no clear-cut line
> separating black and white in the grayscale spectrum. The boundary is
> fuzzy.

Obviously you recognize a distinction between them, and I'm sure you
could articulate what that distinction is, even while acknowledging it
to be a fuzzy one. At the very least, since 字 zi4 refers to an
individual character, and 詞 ci2 is not the same as 字 zi4, it follows
that 詞 ci2 refers, at least sometimes, to something *other* than an
individual character. Can you explain the difference in those terms? I'm
curious, because I was pretty sure that 詞 ci2 referred to sequences of
one *or more* 字 zi4, such sequences corresponding to the term "word" as
Peter and I are using it.
.

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