作为语言学民科我试着给第四题一个(部分的)答案:
因为汉字不是一种表音文字。
口语语音是一定会随着时间而改变的,格林定律之类的研究成果太多了……而对于一种表音文字,一旦和现实中的口语语音失去了对应,它也就没有了立足之地。所以表音文字的拼写必须改变,而且往往变得很快。
相反,汉语书面语(文言)的变化却十分小,我们今天可以不费太大力气就读懂两千年前的史记,和别的语言相比,这是一件十分奇葩的事情。我的猜测是,正因汉字读音和书写形式的脱节,使得汉字失去了改变的一个巨大动力。反正也不能与读音合拍,就不必被牵着走了。
还有一个可能的因素是,虽然统治阶级一直在统治着书面文字,但是中国因为有科举,所以统治也比外国强得多。希望能有其它表意文字的演变来对比,看看这是不是也是一个因素……
举个英文的改变子栗,啊不,是栗子:
The Lord regretted having made humankind on the earth . . . So the Lord said: 'I will wipe the human beings I have created off the face of the earth, people together with animals and reptiles and birds of the air, because I regret having made them' .. .
And God said to Noah . . Make yourself an ark of gopher wood . . . and cover it inside and out with pitch. For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy all flesh in which there is the breath of life.'
这是2000年的圣经选段。
It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth . . . And the LORD said, I will destroy man, whom I haue created, from the face of the earth: both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the foules of the aire: for it repenteth me that I haue made them.
And God said vnto Noah: 'Make thee an arke of gopher wood . . . and
[thou] shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And behold, I, euen I,
doe bring a flood of waters vpon the earth, to destroy all flesh wherein is
the breath of life.'
这是1611年的同一段圣经(KJV1611版)。
It forthou3t him that he had made man in erthe. 'I shal do awey,' he seith,
`man, whom I made of nou3t, fro the face of the erthe, fro man vnto
thingis hauynge Soule, fro crepynge beest vnto fowles of heuen; forsothe
it othenkith me to haue maad hem.'
He seide to Noe: 'Make to thee an ark of planed trees; and with ynne
and with oute thow shal di 3ten it with glew. Se, I shal lede to watres of a
flood vpon the erthe, and I shal slee al flehs in the which spiryt of lijf is.'
这是1390年左右的同一段圣经(Wycliffe版)……(真的吗?)
这里的”3“不是阿拉伯数字,而是相当于现代英语的”gh“的符号。nou3t就是nought(虚无)。
Gode of Ouhte* Oa Owt he mann geworhte ofer eorban . . . And cwx8: `Ic adylgie Bone man, be ic gesceop, fram Oxre eorOan ansyne, fram Sam men o6 Oa nytenu, fram Sam slincendum oó 6a fugelas: me ofdingO soblice Oxtic hi worhte.'
And God cwx6 aa to Noe: `Wyrc be nu ane arc of aheawenum bordum and clxmst wiOinnan and wiOutan mid tyrwan. Efne ic gebringe flodes w2eteru ofer eorOan, bxt ic ofslea eal flxsc on Sam Oe is lies gast.'
而这是大概1000年前后的同一段圣经。爱信不信。
民科附体完毕,求踩求虐求鄙视。