Ph.D. Dissertation Topic: Comparative Research of Semantic Classifiers in Ancient Chinese Scripts and Ancient Egyptian Scripts

Advisors:

Prof. Orly Goldwasser, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Prof. Zev Handel, University of Washington

Prof. Yongsheng Chen, Ocean University of China

Abstract: Semantic Classifiers are supplementary, unpronounced signs that join phonetic signs to represent words altogether. They add silent semantic (always motivated) information for the reader, related to the host word. My thesis is based on the working hypothesis that each semantic classifier in the script in Chinese or Egyptian represents a category head of knowledge organization. The collection of all category heads and their members in a defined period would provide us with an emic ‘network map’ of the mental organization of the culture during this time. I chose to conduct corpus-based synchronic research on a corpus of Gaudian texts in ancient Chinese and on a chosen comparative Egyptian corpus. The final aim is to define the emic scope of semantic classifiers in a defined corpus and a specified period in both cultures. The research is conducted by the iClassifier digital research tool in the ArchaeoMind Lab.

Collaoration: The Intelligent Retrieval Network Database of Chinese Characters, Center for the Study and Application of Chinese Characters (CSACC), East China Normal University (ECNU), China. Contact person: Dr. Zhang Chunfeng, Lecturer, Editorial Assistant of Jounal of Chinese Writing Systems (JCWS); Research field-Chinese minority scripts; Naxi study.

Projects:

• Exploring the minds of ancient Egypt and ancient China—A comparative network analysis of the classifier systems of the scripts. ISF Grant.

Awards:

• Plaks Fellowship in Traditional China field (from Department of Asian Studies, HUJI) 2022
• China Scholarship Council (CSC) – Hebrew University of Jerusalem Scholarship Program (CSC-HUJI Joint Scholarship) 2020-2024