倪维思夫妇释经布道文之语言实验

19世纪中后期,从对文言文的选择实验到对区域方言的选择实验,从对南方方言的选择实验到对北方官话的选择实验,从对北方官话的选择实验到对一种基于北方官话基础的时代共同语与共同文("新白话文"或"传教士白话文")的选择实验,新教来华传教士倪维思夫妇在释经及宣教布道文的语言实验方面的道路,既彰显出他们夫妇二人在此方面的实践努力,亦昭示出晚清新教来华传教士在此领域的自觉探索、实验路径与实际成效。这种语言实验与语言转型,客观上为"五四"新文学的语言实验提供了可资借鉴的历史经验。

On the Language Experiment of the Neviuses in Their Preaching

In the middle and late 19th century, the Neviuses, the Protestant missionaries, embarked on their road of linguistic experiment in their expounding and preaching the Bible, beginning with the classical Chinese, but ending in regional dialects, of which the southern ones were chosen first and the northern Man- darin was eventually the final choice. Their experiment with Mandarin gave birth to the common speech and language （ ＂the new vernacular Chinese＂ or ＂the missionary vernacular Chinese＂ ）. Their remarkable achieve- ments illustrated the missionaries＇ self-conscious exploration, experiment path and actual outcome in the field. Such linguistic experiment and transformation offered a valuable lesson for the linguistic experiment of the New Literature in the May 4~h Movement.