The Asymmetry of Topicalization: a View from Mandarin Chinese

Abstract

Topicalization in Mandarin Chinese is compared with the previous studies of topicalization in English and Romance. We argue that the topicalization asymmetry found between arguments and circumstantial adjuncts, on the one hand, and manner adjuncts, on the other, suggests that there is no genuine argument-adjunct asymmetry in topicalization, but the asymmetry should be understood in terms of the movement-merger distinction, supporting the hypothesis made in Liliane Haegeman’s recent work.