On, November 8, 2024, Research Training Group GRK 2833 “East Asian Futures” members Pao-wen HUANG and Ming-feng WU attended a presentation by Dr. Christian Schmidt (National Taiwan University), titled “Using the ‘Database of Neologisms in Modern Chinese’ as an Example to Explore Key Issues in the Study of East Asian Conceptual History (以「漢語新詞資料庫」為例，探索東亞概念史研究幾點問題)”, organised by the IMH Digital Humanities Collaborative Research Project at the Archives of the Institute of Modern History at Academia Sinica in Taipei. The following summary was provided by Pao-wen HUANG.
The Database of Neologisms in Modern Chinese was recently published as part of Academia Sinica’s Modern History Database. It was initially established by Dr. Christian Schmidt during his doctoral research, which focused on examining the origins of modern Chinese neologisms. Dr. Schmidt earned his Ph.D. in Linguistics from National Taiwan University in 2023 and currently serves as a postdoctoral scholar at Academia Sinica’s Institute of Chinese Literature and Philosophy. His areas of expertise include Digital Humanities, Conceptual Studies, and Sino-Japanese Vocabulary.
Dr. Schmidt’s research challenges the prevailing assumption that many modern Chinese neologisms are direct borrowings from Japanese. To test this hypothesis, he meticulously analyzed a broad range of neologisms, tracing their origins to determine whether they were Japanese borrowings or derived from Western languages. This database emerged as a by-product of his extensive research, serving as a systematic repository of terms that facilitates further exploration. By making this resource accessible, Dr. Schmidt has provided researchers with a valuable tool for tracing the etymological roots of modern Chinese vocabulary and exploring its historical development.
During a recent presentation, Dr. Schmidt demonstrated both the functionalities of the database and the methodologies employed in its creation. This resource is dedicated to the systematic collection and organization of modern Chinese neologisms, with a focus on etymology and the application of historical linguistic data. The database encompasses a wide array of terms, including indigenous Chinese words and those potentially derived from Japanese. The “potential” reflects the evolving nature of research in this area, suggesting that further investigations could yield new insights.
Japanese loanwords occupy a complex and nuanced space in modern Chinese. Initially resisted, they were later assimilated into the language—a dual dynamic that warrants closer examination. These loanwords have significantly influenced Chinese vocabulary, but the pathways of their transmission and the ideological shifts they prompted are often more intricate than commonly assumed.
Studying these terms requires an interdisciplinary approach, as they represent not just linguistic phenomena but also the broader cultural exchanges that have shaped East Asian modernization over the last century. Despite advances in research on Japanese loanwords, a lack of concrete historical evidence continues to limit our understanding of their specific influences. By fostering direct interaction between academic research and historical data, this database aims to shed light on the intricate processes that underpin the integration of Japanese loanwords into Chinese.
Following the presentation, participants actively shared their experiences using the database and discussed the challenges they encountered. Most attendees were historians, who appreciated how Dr. Schmidt’s linguistically grounded methodology offered a fresh perspective for their research. They noted that this approach could expand their analytical frameworks and enrich their studies of conceptual history.
Many users also expressed a desire to broaden the scope of the database to support a wider range of research interests, including feminist studies and other interdisciplinary fields. However, the current collection primarily reflects Dr. Schmidt’s research focus. Expanding the range of materials in the database could significantly enhance its utility and flexibility, offering researchers across disciplines a more comprehensive resource for exploring East Asian conceptual history.
The database may be accessed through the following website: https://mhdb.mh.sinica.edu.tw/vocabulary/index.php