Existential and locative constructions in Mandarin Chinese

IF 0.7 3区文学 0 LANGUAGE & LINGUISTICS

Linguistic Review Pub Date : 2019-07-10 DOI:10.1515/tlr-2019-2043

Waltraud Paul, Yaqiao Lu, T. Lee

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引用次数: 63

Abstract

Abstract Despite previous studies (cf. among others Huang 1987. Existential sentences in Chinese and (in)definiteness. In Eric J. Reuland & Alice G.B. Ter Meulen (eds.), The representation of (In)definiteness, 226–253. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press; Li, Yen-Hui Audrey. 1990. Order and constituency in Mandarin Chinese. Dordrecht: Kluwer; Li, Yen-Hui Audrey. 1998. Two types of existential sentences. Illinois Papers in Linguistics 26. 175–191; Pan, Haihua. 1996. Imperfective aspect zhe, agent deletion, and locative inversion in Mandarin Chinese. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 14(2). 409–432), the defining characteristics of existential sentences in Chinese (including potential equivalents of locative inversion in English) have remained controversial. This is shown to be due to the failure to acknowledge the existence of two different constructions, the existential construction (ExC) ‘Ø V DP’ where a sentence-initial phrase indicating location (PlaceP) is not required, on the one hand, and the locative construction (LoC) with an obligatory PlaceP, on the other: ‘PlaceP V DP’. Only the ExC can serve as a diagnostic context for unaccusative verbs, whereas the LoC allows for a wide range of verbs, including a subset of unergative verbs. Furthermore, two types of LoC need to be distinguished, depending on the type of aspect (perfective aspect -le vs imperfective aspect -zhe), giving rise to different semantics. Both have, however, in common that the PlaceP occupies the subject position (SpecTP), not the topic position, and that it is merged in SpecTP, not moved there, as evidenced by the systematic lack of a corresponding source structure with the PlaceP in postverbal position.

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汉语中的存在句与处所句

摘要尽管之前有研究（参见Huang 1987。汉语存在句与确定性。在Eric J.Reuland和Alice G.B.Ter Meulen（编辑）中，（In）确定性的表示，226–253。马萨诸塞州剑桥：麻省理工学院出版社；李，颜惠奥黛丽。1990年，普通话秩序与选区。多德雷赫特：克鲁沃；李，颜惠奥黛丽。1998。存在句的两种类型。伊利诺伊语言学论文26。175–191；潘，海华。1996.普通话中的不完全体哲、主词缺失和方位倒置。自然语言与语言学理论14（2）。409–432），汉语中存在句的定义特征（包括英语中位置倒置的潜在等价物）一直存在争议。这被证明是由于没有承认两种不同结构的存在，一方面是存在结构（ExC）“PXS V DP”，其中不需要表示位置的句子首短语（PlaceP），另一方面是带有强制性PlaceP的位置结构（LoC）：“PlaceP V DP”。只有ExC可以作为非宾格动词的诊断上下文，而LoC可以用于广泛的动词，包括非使动词的子集。此外，根据方面的类型，需要区分两种类型的LoC（完成方面-le和不完全方面-zer），从而产生不同的语义。然而，两者都有一个共同点，即PlaceP占据主题位置（SpecTP），而不是主题位置，并且它被合并到SpecTP中，而不是移动到那里，这可以通过系统地缺乏相应的源结构来证明，PlaceP处于语后位置。

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来源期刊

Linguistic Review Multiple-

CiteScore

1.60

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0.00%

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期刊介绍： The Linguistic Review aims at publishing high-quality papers in syntax, semantics, phonology, and morphology, within a framework of Generative Grammar and related disciplines, as well as critical discussions of theoretical linguistics as a branch of cognitive psychology. Striving to be a platform for discussion, The Linguistic Review welcomes reviews of important new monographs in these areas, dissertation abstracts, and letters to the editor. The editor also welcomes initiatives for thematic issues with guest editors. The Linguistic Review is a peer-reviewed journal of international scope.