The Lexicalization and Relevance of Character "Houlai"

In Mandarin,houlai is a temporal word.It comes from the verbal phrase houlai in ancient Chinese,which has the same form with it.The lexicalizing mechanism of houlai is transferred-reference the consequence caused by the designation of the verbal phrases.As an expressing device,transferred-reference played a vital role in the process of the lexicalization of houlai.After houlai became fixed as a single word,its grammatical relation quality also changed as follows:from a common noun to a temporal word (a sub-category of noun). Houlai functions as Subject,Object,Attribute and Adverbial modifier.Semantically,it refers to a span of time-starting at a time (point) in the past.