The Syntax of the Abstract-type Measurement Construction in Mandarin Chinese

Q3 Arts and Humanities

Studies in Chinese Linguistics Pub Date : 2017-06-27 DOI:10.1515/scl-2017-0003

Jing Jin

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Abstract This paper investigates a special sub-type of measurement construction in Mandarin Chinese, namely the [Num-measure word-de-N] construction where the N is an abstract dimension-denoting noun. Evidence is presented to show that the abstract-type [Num-measure word-de-N] should be fundamentally distinguished from the quantifying-/modifying-type [Num-measure word-de-N], in which the [Num-measure word] sequence serves to quantize/modify a semantically concrete, entity-denoting N. At the interpretive level, this paper claims that the abstracttype [Num-measure word-de-N] is semantically definite. At the syntactic level, a clausal analysis within the framework of the Predicate Inversion theory is pursued to account for the derivation of the abstract-type measurement construction. Last, it is proposed that the word order distinction between the Chinese abstracttype measurement construction, which is N-final, and its English counterpart, where the N linearly precedes [Num-measure word], can be explained in terms of a parametric variation with respect to the (non-)application of N-raising after Predicate Inversion.

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汉语摘要型测量结构的句法研究

摘要本文研究了普通话中一个特殊的量词结构子类型，即“N -量词-N”结构，其中“N”是一个抽象的表示量纲的名词。本文提出的证据表明，抽象类型[Num-measure word-de- n]应该从根本上区别于量化/修饰型[Num-measure word-de- n]，其中[Num-measure word-de- n]序列用于量化/修饰语义上具体的实体表示n。在解释层面上，本文声称抽象类型[Num-measure word-de- n]在语义上是确定的。在句法层面，在谓词倒置理论的框架内进行小句分析，以解释抽象类型测量结构的推导。最后，本文提出中文抽象型度量结构(N-final)与英文抽象型度量结构(N线性位于[N -测度词]之前)的词序差异，可以用谓语倒置后(非)应用N提升的参数变化来解释。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Studies in Chinese Linguistics Arts and Humanities-Language and Linguistics

CiteScore

0.50

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

46 weeks

期刊介绍： STUDIES IN CHINESE LINGUISTICS is an international academic journal devoted to comparative study of Chinese language and linguistics and a platform for research of comparative linguistics and dialectal grammar under a comparative approach. We especially welcome synchronic or diachronic comparative works on any aspects of the syntax, semantics, and morphology among Chinese dialects or between a Chinese language/dialect and any languages that contribute to theoretical linguistics or have significant theoretical implications. The journal does not have article processing charges (APCs) nor article submission charges.