Abstract
In Chinese vocabulary development, there is a basic tendency that words with single syllable developed into words with 2 syllables and even those words with more syllables have appeared in great amount. Looking into the words developed from 2 syllables to 3 syllables, we found some common features and specific ones of derivative word-formations. However, the extension did not aim at expressing more complicated meanings. A feeling of 3 syllable words risen in the tendency played a role and forced the trend going on. Therefore, synonymously lexical extension appeared in the development. The forms added in extension are suffixes, stems, or duplicated syllables. But idioms composed with 3 syllables were not developed from 2 syllable words by adding an extra morpheme, instead, they based on certain original meanings drawn from source texts.
| Keywords: | lexical extension; vocabulary development; double syllables; three syllable; synonymously lexical extension |
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