MCLC: dissent speaks code (5)

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: Jingyu Huo <jingyuhuo at umail.ucsb.edu>
Subject: dissent speaks code (5)
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I'm not sure if this is related to your concern. According to Wang Li
(1958), bei-construction first became a passive expression in late Warring
States Period. However, at this time, 被 behaved more like a verb. In 说文解
字,被 was first a noun, then it evolved to be a verb. After a long course of
grammaticalization, it now functions as a so-called passive marker.

Joy