Denotation and reference of language and literature - the case of the animal name “zha” in My old home by Lu Hsun

Abstract

Chinese Dictionary (1960) introduces the word “猹”pronounced “chá” (romanization) with the meaning: “a wild animal, like a brock, which likes to eat water melon (as seen in My old home by Lu Hsun)”. An avid reader of My old home after seeing “猹” in several Chinese dictionaries may wonder whether “猹” refers to an animal existing in that story only, not in real life. This paper distinguishes the difference between meaning and sense of the word, pays attention to the reference of life as seen in literature and at the same time introduces its own way of understanding this word.