Syntax of Chinese

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 - Categories

1.1 Lexical categories

1.1.1 Verbs and nouns - basic distinctions

1.1.2 Localizers

1.1.3 Adjectives

1.1.4 Prepositions

1.2 Functional categories

1.2.1 [Fn], n > 0

1.2.2 [F] and the modifier-introducing de

Chapter 2 - Argument structure

2.1 Arguments and theta-roles

2.1.1 Basic properties of theta-roles

2.1.2 Chinese resultative compounds: a case study

2.1.3 Compounds vs. phrases

2.2 On the nature of theta-roles

2.2.1 Theta-roles produced by the syntax

2.2.2 What’s in a verb?

2.2.3 Squeezing a lexical foot into a functional shoe

2.3 Sketching an alternative theory of theta-roles

2.3.1 How a lexical entry contributes to the argument structure

2.3.2 The theory

2.3.3 Facts explained

2.4 In place of a conclusion

Chapter 3 - The verb phrase

3.1 Adjuncts and complements

3.2 Postverbal constituents

3.2.1 Double objects and the structure of VP

3.2.2 V-de

3.2.3 Frequency/Duration phrases (FP/DrP)

3.3 Preverbal constituents

3.3.1 Aspectual phrase

3.3.2 Modals

3.4 Summary

Chapter 4 - Passives

4.1 The Mandarin long passive

4.1.1 Two competing traditions

4.1.2 The analysis: A’-movement and predication

4.1.3 Further evidence for the NOP analysis

4.2 The Mandarin short passive

4.2.1 Against the agent-deletion hypothesis

4.2.2 Analysis of the short passive

4.3 The analysis of indirect passives

4.3.1 Direct vs. indirect passives

4.3.2 The inclusive indirect passive

4.3.3 The adversative passive

4.4 Summary

Chapter 5 - The ba construction

5.1 Ba and bei constructions

5.2 What is ba?

5.2.1 The categorial status of ba

5.2.2 The analysis of ba

5.3 Ba not a theta-role assigner

5.3.1 Ba and the subject

5.3.2 Ba and the post-ba NP

5.4 Structures

5.4.1 A preliminary analysis

5.4.2 Revision

5.5 “Affected”

5.6 Alternatives

5.7 Summary

Chapter 6 - Topic and relative constructions

6.1 Topic structures

6.1.1 Movement or not?

6.1.2 Island conditions

6.2 Relative structures

6.2.1 Distribution and interpretation

6.2.2 Movement

6.2.3 Base generation

6.2.4 Relative operator

6.2.5 NP adjunction

6.3 Gapless structures

Chapter 7 - Questions

7.1 Yes-no questions

7.2 Disjunctive questions

7.3 A-not-A questions

7.3.1 Three types of A-not-A questions

7.3.2 A-not-A questions: a modular approach

7.3.3 Explaining the differences

7.3.4 VP-neg questions

7.3.5 Summary

7.4 Wh-questions

7.4.1 A movement approach to wh-in-situ

7.4.2 LF movement: some problems and alternatives

7.4.3 LF subjacency and pied-piping

7.4.4 Non-movement and unselective binding

7.5 Summary

Chapter 8 - Nominal expressions

8.1 The issues

8.2 Projecting a DP - referential and quantity expressions

8.2.1 Number expressions as indefinite and quantity expressions

8.2.2 Quantity vs. indefiniteness

8.2.3 Number Phrase and Determiner Phrase

8.2.4 Comparison with indefinite wh-elements

8.2.5 Comparison with you expressions

8.2.6 Prohibition against an indefinite subject/topic

8.2.7 Summary

8.3 Order and constituency within a DP

8.3.1 Demonstratives

8.3.2 Pronouns

8.3.3 Proper names

8.3.4 Common nouns

8.3.5 Not appositives or adverbials

8.3.6 Summary

8.4 Extension and revision: plurality

8.4.1 Some puzzles about -men

8.4.2 Plural feature as head of NumP

8.4.3 Proper name + pronoun + demonstrative

8.5 Summary and some empirical complications

8.5.1 Non-quantity indefinite nominals in subject position

8.5.2 Non-root clauses, generic NPs

Chapter 9 - Anaphora

9.1 Binding theory in Chinese

9.1.1 Reflexives and Principle A

9.1.2 Pronouns and Principle B

9.1.3 Principles C and D

9.2 The bare reflexive ziji

9.2.1 Two approaches to the long distance ziji

9.2.2 Logophoricity and anaphoricity

9.2.3 Logophoricity: syntax and semantics

9.3 Bound anaphora and donkey anaphora

9.3.1 Pronouns in co-reference or as bound variables

9.3.2 Variable binding: scope, accessibility, and disjointness

9.3.3 Indefinites and donkey