<p>There has been an argument for this topic.</p>

<p>In <a href="http://www.huayuqiao.org/articles/yuwenjianshetongxun/7805.htm" rel="nofollow">this article</a>, the author stated that "以来" is a "方位词". Which can be seen in reference <a href="http://www.huayuqiao.org/articles/yuwenjianshetongxun/7805.htm#_ftnref6" rel="nofollow">5</a> and <a href="http://www.huayuqiao.org/articles/yuwenjianshetongxun/7805.htm#_ftnref13" rel="nofollow">12</a>, it is also refered to as "动态助词".</p>

<p>"<a href="https://www.google.com.hk/search?q=%E6%96%B9%E4%BD%8D%E8%AF%8D&amp;oq=%E6%96%B9%E4%BD%8D%E8%AF%8D&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.1375j0j9&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;espv=210&amp;es_sm=122&amp;ie=UTF-8" rel="nofollow">方位词</a>" is a type of <strong><em>noun</em></strong> in Chinese, which represents the <em>location</em> (of space / time).</p>

<p>"<a href="https://www.google.com.hk/search?q=%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81%E5%8A%A9%E8%AF%8D&amp;oq=%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81%E5%8A%A9%E8%AF%8D&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.772j0j9&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;espv=210&amp;es_sm=122&amp;ie=UTF-8" rel="nofollow">动态助词</a>" is a type of Chinese <strong><em>particle</em></strong>, you can read it from the <a href="https://www.google.com.hk/search?q=%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81%E5%8A%A9%E8%AF%8D&amp;oq=%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81%E5%8A%A9%E8%AF%8D&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.772j0j9&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;espv=210&amp;es_sm=122&amp;ie=UTF-8" rel="nofollow">link</a>.</p>

<hr>

<p>Now let's get back to the disagreement. "以来" is defined as a "方位词" in《现代汉语八百词》by 吕叔湘 while is is again defined as a "动态助词" in《现代汉语虚词词典》by 侯学超.</p>

<p>However, "<a href="https://www.google.com.hk/search?q=%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81%E5%8A%A9%E8%AF%8D&amp;oq=%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81%E5%8A%A9%E8%AF%8D&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.772j0j9&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;espv=210&amp;es_sm=122&amp;ie=UTF-8" rel="nofollow">动态助词</a>" also gets its formal definition in《现代汉语八百词》. So if you ask me, I prefer to believe it is a "方位词", which is <strong><em>noun</em></strong>.</p>

<hr>

<p>As for the different part of speech of the word "since" appearing in English, I guess it is because that "since" is translated as "自……以来", not just "以来". "自……以来" IS a preposition.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-15T19:08:07.770Z
I agree that 以来 is a 方位词 (location word), but I disagree that 方位词 are nouns. Grammatically they behave like [postpositions](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preposition_and_postposition) (similar to prepositions, but they are placed after their complements instead of before). One of your sources calls them 方位名词, but while 名词 is typically translated as "noun" in English, I don't believe that's the right translation in this particular case. The 名 in this case simply indicates that the word names a location, but it doesn't necessary imply it is a noun.
Claw
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-15T19:14:34.530Z
I found a paper that also goes into depth about what I mentioned: http://conf.ling.cornell.edu/pdfs/Newcastle_final_for_OUP.refs.pdf "We show in this paper that both prepositions and postpositions are adpositions, contrary to the 
view that the latter are nouns."
Claw
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-15T20:47:07.480Z
@Claw, when I saw your comments, I reconsidered it and also checked some Chinese literature like [this](https://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3a%2f%2fling%2ecass%2ecn%2fjufayuyi%2fkuangshijieci%2edoc&ei=-J5dUtHtCMKjiQfegYGIBA&usg=AFQjCNGov_kXp8P64JqqguYXhLw3ImKf1w&sig2=HqjBTDX60Xg7qU9lVAmv9g), [this](http://www.docin.com/p-496621151.html), [this](http://wenku.baidu.com/view/e554371659eef8c75fbfb344.html),[this](http://wenku.baidu.com/view/e554371659eef8c75fbfb344.html), [this](http://wenku.baidu.com/view/656c5a0a02020740be1e9b5c.html)
shuangwhywhy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-15T20:51:13.357Z
@Claw, finally, I found you are right for the point that it is not a noun. It is a part of 'Circumpositions (框式结构)' in Chinese. See [“连动介式＂介词框架](http://www.doc88.com/p-3126168654719.html)
shuangwhywhy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-16T00:39:46.977Z
以来 can be used by itself， e.g., - 这是建国以来我们第一次发射人造卫星。 It is therefore defined as a postposition. It can also be used as part of a circumposition as you mentioned.
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-15T18:16:24.407Z
2013-10-15T18:21:27.807Z
2013-10-15T18:21:27.807Z
shuangwhywhy
<p>A couple of Chinese dictionaries I used says for 以来, part of speech is 名 (noun).</p>

<p>Since in an English dictionary says preposition first.</p>

<p>Is it incorrect to assume a direct correlation between parts of speech between Chinese and English?</p>

<grammar>
"以来" - Chinese dictionary says noun. "Since" in English dictionary says preposition, conjunction. Distinction?
# "以来" - Chinese dictionary says noun. "Since" in English dictionary says preposition, conjunction. Distinction?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-10-15)

A couple of Chinese dictionaries I used says for 以来, part of speech is 名 (noun).

Since in an English dictionary says preposition first.

Is it incorrect to assume a direct correlation between parts of speech between Chinese and English?

**Tags:** grammar


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-10-15. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

There has been an argument for this topic.

In [this article](http://www.huayuqiao.org/articles/yuwenjianshetongxun/7805.htm), the author stated that "以来" is a "方位词". Which can be seen in reference [5](http://www.huayuqiao.org/articles/yuwenjianshetongxun/7805.htm#_ftnref6) and [12](http://www.huayuqiao.org/articles/yuwenjianshetongxun/7805.htm#_ftnref13), it is also refered to as "动态助词".

"[方位词](https://www.google.com.hk/search?q=%E6%96%B9%E4%BD%8D%E8%AF%8D&oq=%E6%96%B9%E4%BD%8D%E8%AF%8D&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.1375j0j9&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8)" is a type of ***noun*** in Chinese, which represents the *location* (of space / time).

"[动态助词](https://www.google.com.hk/search?q=%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81%E5%8A%A9%E8%AF%8D&oq=%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81%E5%8A%A9%E8%AF%8D&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.772j0j9&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8)" is a type of Chinese ***particle***, you can read it from the [link](https://www.google.com.hk/search?q=%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81%E5%8A%A9%E8%AF%8D&oq=%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81%E5%8A%A9%E8%AF%8D&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.772j0j9&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8).

---

Now let's get back to the disagreement. "以来" is defined as a "方位词" in《现代汉语八百词》by 吕叔湘 while is is again defined as a "动态助词" in《现代汉语虚词词典》by 侯学超.

However, "[动态助词](https://www.google.com.hk/search?q=%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81%E5%8A%A9%E8%AF%8D&oq=%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81%E5%8A%A9%E8%AF%8D&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.772j0j9&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8)" also gets its formal definition in《现代汉语八百词》. So if you ask me, I prefer to believe it is a "方位词", which is ***noun***.

---

As for the different part of speech of the word "since" appearing in English, I guess it is because that "since" is translated as "自……以来", not just "以来". "自……以来" IS a preposition.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I agree that 以来 is a 方位词 (location word), but I disagree that 方位词 are nouns. Grammatically they behave like [postpositions](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preposition_and_postposition) (similar to prepositions, but they are placed after their complements instead of before). One of your sources calls them 方位名词, but while 名词 is typically translated as "noun" in English, I don't believe that's the right translation in this particular case. The 名 in this case simply indicates that the word names a location, but it doesn't necessary imply it is a noun.  
> **username_2**: I found a paper that also goes into depth about what I mentioned: http://conf.ling.cornell.edu/pdfs/Newcastle_final_for_OUP.refs.pdf "We show in this paper that both prepositions and postpositions are adpositions, contrary to the  view that the latter are nouns."  
> **username_1**: @username_2, when I saw your comments, I reconsidered it and also checked some Chinese literature like [this](https://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3a%2f%2fling%2ecass%2ecn%2fjufayuyi%2fkuangshijieci%2edoc&ei=-J5dUtHtCMKjiQfegYGIBA&usg=AFQjCNGov_kXp8P64JqqguYXhLw3ImKf1w&sig2=HqjBTDX60Xg7qU9lVAmv9g), [this](http://www.docin.com/p-496621151.html), [this](http://wenku.baidu.com/view/e554371659eef8c75fbfb344.html),[this](http://wenku.baidu.com/view/e554371659eef8c75fbfb344.html), [this](http://wenku.baidu.com/view/656c5a0a02020740be1e9b5c.html)  
> **username_1**: @username_2, finally, I found you are right for the point that it is not a noun. It is a part of 'Circumpositions (框式结构)' in Chinese. See [“连动介式＂介词框架](http://www.doc88.com/p-3126168654719.html)  
> **username_3**: 以来 can be used by itself， e.g., - 这是建国以来我们第一次发射人造卫星。 It is therefore defined as a postposition. It can also be used as part of a circumposition as you mentioned.  

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