"Outline of Classical Chinese Grammar" is a comprehensive introduction to the syntactic analysis of the classical Chinese language. It focuses on the language of the High Classical period, which spans from the time of Confucius until the unification of the empire by the Qin in 221 B.C. The book pays special attention to the texts of the Mengzi, the Lunyu, and, to a lesser extent, the Zuo Zhuan.

It begins with a brief historical overview and a discussion on the relationship between the writing system and phonology. This is followed by a summary of the general principles of word order and sentence structure. The subsequent sections deal with the main types of sentences – nominal complements, verbal complements, and numerical expressions, which constitute a specific type of nearly verbal complementing statement. The final sections cover topics such as the lower constituents of sentences, non-declarative sentence types, and complex sentences.

Pages: 208, Dimensions: 15.2x15.2cm