1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. International Journal of Chinese Linguistics
  4. Volume 8, Issue 1
  5. Article
Volume 8, Issue 1
  • ISSN 2213-8706
  • E-ISSN: 2213-8714
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

This study investigates the licensing conditions and interpretational variability of indefinite subjects in Mandarin. Against the ‘definiteness’ constraint of subject in Mandarin (Chao 1968Li and Thompson 1981), three types of indefinite subjects are identified in the subject position, but they exhibit different scope behaviors: (i) -nominals are ambiguous between a wide scope and a narrow scope, and (ii) thetic subjects are narrow-scope taking, and (iii) ‘cardinal’ subjects are scopeless. Following Cohen and Erteschik-Shir (2002), we propose that the former two types of indefinite subjects are focus elements and they fall into the position of nuclear scope, where they receive an existential interpretation, and cardinal subjects are topics and they serve as restrictor to some generic operator. Moreover, the wide/narrow scope readings of -nominals are distinguished from each other in terms of whether a topic domain is available or not, which may serve a domain restrictor to the existential quantifier bound to -nominals (Portner 2002).

© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/ijchl.00011.wu
2021-06-01
2023-12-11

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/ijchl.00011.wu
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Beck, S., Uli Sauerland
    (2000) Cumulation is needed: A reply to Winter (2000). Natural Language Semantics8: 349–371. 10.1023/A:1011240827230
     https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011240827230 [Google Scholar]
  2. Carlson, G. N.
    (1977) Reference to kinds in English, Doctoral dissertation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. (1995) Truth conditions of generic sentences: two contrasting views. InGregory Carlson and Jeffry Pelletier (eds), The Generic Book, 224–237. University of Chicago Press. Chicago.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Chao, Y.-R.
    (1968) A Grammar of Spoken Chinese. Berkeley: University of California Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Chen, P.
    (2003) Indefinite determiner introducing definite referent: a special use of ‘yi ‘one’+classifier’ in Chinese. Lingua113: 1169–1184. 10.1016/S0024‑3841(02)00163‑8
     https://doi.org/10.1016/S0024-3841(02)00163-8 [Google Scholar]
  6. (2004) Identifiability and definiteness. Linguistics42(6): 1129–1184. 10.1515/ling.2004.42.6.1129
     https://doi.org/10.1515/ling.2004.42.6.1129 [Google Scholar]
  7. Cheng, L.-S. L.
    (1991) On the Typology of wh-Questions. Doctoral dissertation, MIT.
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Chomsky, N.
    (1993) A minimalist program for linguistic theory. InKenneth Hale and Samuel Jay Keyser (eds.), The View from Building20, 1–52. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Cohen, A.
    (2001) On the generic use of indefinite singulars. Journal of Semantics18: 183–209. 10.1093/jos/18.3.183
     https://doi.org/10.1093/jos/18.3.183 [Google Scholar]
  10. Cohen, A. and N. Erteschik-Shir
    (2002) Topic, focus and the interpretation of bare plurals. Natural Language Semantics10: 125–165. 10.1023/A:1016576614139
     https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016576614139 [Google Scholar]
  11. Diesing, M.
    (1992) Indefinites. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Erteschik-Shir, N.
    (1997) The Dynamics of Focus Structure. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Greenberg, Y.
    (2007) Exceptions to generics: where vagueness, context dependence and modality interact. Journal of Semantics24 (2): 131–167. 10.1093/jos/ffm002
     https://doi.org/10.1093/jos/ffm002 [Google Scholar]
  14. Hasegama, N.
    (2010) Thetic judgments as presentationals. Journal of Japanese Linguistics26(1). doi:  10.1515/jjl‑2010‑0103
     https://doi.org/10.1515/jjl-2010-0103 [Google Scholar]
  15. Heim, I.
    (1982) The Semantics of Definite and Indefinite Noun Phrases. Doctoral dissertation, University of MassachusettsatAmherst.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Higginbotham, J. and G. Ramchand
    (1997) The stage-level/individual-level distinction and the mapping hypothesis. IND. Willis (ed.), Oxford University Working Papers in Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics, vol2, pp.55–83.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Huang, C.-T. J.
    (1982) Logical relations in Chinese and the theory of grammar. Doctoral dissertation, MIT. Cambridge. Massachusetts.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. (1987) Existential sentences in Chinese and (in)definiteness. InThe Representation of (In)definiteness, Eric J. Reuland and Alice G. B. ter Meulen, (eds.), 226–253. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Huang, C.-T. J., A. Y.-H. Li and Y. F. Li
    (2009) The Syntax of Chinese. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9781139166935
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139166935 [Google Scholar]
  20. Jäger, G.
    (1999) Stage levels, states and the semantics of the copula, ZAS Papers in Linguistics14: 63–94. 10.21248/zaspil.14.1999.5
     https://doi.org/10.21248/zaspil.14.1999.5 [Google Scholar]
  21. Kadmon, N. and F. Landman
    (1993) Any. Linguistics and Philosophy. 16: 353–422. 10.1007/BF00985272
     https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00985272 [Google Scholar]
  22. Kamp, H. and U. Reyle
    (1993) From Discourse to Logic. Dordrecht: Kluwer.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Kiss, E.
    (1995) Discourse Configurational Languages. New York/Oxford: Oxford University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Kratzer, A.
    (1981) The notional category of modality, INHans-Jurgen Eikmeyer and Hannes Rieser (eds.), Words, Worlds and Contexts. New Approaches to World Semantics. Berlin: de Gruyter. 10.1515/9783110842524‑004
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110842524-004 [Google Scholar]
  25. (1995) Stage-level and individual-level predicates, ING. Carlson and F. Pelletier (eds.), pp.125–175.
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Krifka, M.
    (1986) Nominalreferenz und Zeitkonstitution. Zur Semantik von Massentermen, Plurltermen, und Aspektklassen. Doctoral dissertation, University München.
     [Google Scholar]
  27. (1996) Parameterized sum individuals for plural anaphora. Linguistics and Philosophy19: 555–598. 10.1007/BF00632708
     https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00632708 [Google Scholar]
  28. (2003) Bare NPs: kind referring, indefinites, both or neither. Semantics and Linguistic Theory13:180. 10.3765/salt.v13i0.2880
     https://doi.org/10.3765/salt.v13i0.2880 [Google Scholar]
  29. Krifka, M., Pelletier, F. J., Gregory N. Carlson, ter Meulen, A., Link, G., and Chierchia, G.
    (1995) ‘Genericity: An introduction’. InGregory Carlson and Francis Pelletier (eds.), The Generic Book, pp.1–124. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  30. Kuroda, S.-Y.
    (1972) The categorical and the thetic judgment. Foundations of Language9:153–185.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. (2003) Milsark’s generalization and categorical judgments. R. Young and Y. Zjou (eds.), SALTXIII: 204–221. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University.
     [Google Scholar]
  32. Laca, B.
    (1990) Generic objects: some more pieces of the puzzle. Lingua81: 25–46. 10.1016/0024‑3841(90)90003‑4
     https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3841(90)90003-4 [Google Scholar]
  33. Landman, F.
    (2003) Predicate-argument mismatches and the adjectival theory of indefinites. InMartine Coene and Yves D’hulst (eds.), From NP to DP, Vol. 1: The syntax and semantics of noun phrases, 211–237. Philadelphia: John Benjamins. 10.1075/la.55.10lan
     https://doi.org/10.1075/la.55.10lan [Google Scholar]
  34. (2004) Indefinites and the type of sets. Blackwell Publishing. 10.1002/9780470759318
     https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470759318 [Google Scholar]
  35. Lee, T. H.-T.
    (1986) Studies on quantification in Chinese, Doctoral dissertation, University of California.
     [Google Scholar]
  36. Li, C. and S. Thompson
    (1981) Mandarin Chinese: A functional reference grammar. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  37. Li, X. P. (李旭平)
    (2020) 汉语‘有’字句和存在命题Hanyu you zi ju he cunzai mingti [On you-existentials and existential propositions in Mandarin]. 《当代语言学》Dangdai yuyanxue [Contemporary Linguistics]. 22(2): 182–198.
     [Google Scholar]
  38. Li, Y.-H. A.
    (1998) Argument determiner phrases and number phrases. Linguistic Inquiry29: 693–702. 10.1162/ling.1998.29.4.693
     https://doi.org/10.1162/ling.1998.29.4.693 [Google Scholar]
  39. Liao, W.-W.
    (2011) The symmetry of syntactic relations. Doctoral dissertation, University of Southern California.
     [Google Scholar]
  40. (2018) Bare numeral phrases in Mandarin and the minimalist mapping hypothesis. International Journal of Chinese Linguistics5(1): 33–58. 10.1075/ijchl.17002.wen
     https://doi.org/10.1075/ijchl.17002.wen [Google Scholar]
  41. Lin, J.-W.
    (2004) Choice functions and scope of existential polarity wh-phrases in Mandarin Chinese. Linguistics and Philosophy27: 451–491. 10.1023/B:LING.0000024407.76999.f7
     https://doi.org/10.1023/B:LING.0000024407.76999.f7 [Google Scholar]
  42. Link, G.
    (1987) Generalized quantifiers and plurals, INP. Gardenfors (ed.), Generalized quantifiers: linguistics and logical approaches, Reidel, Dordrecht, 151–180. 10.1007/978‑94‑009‑3381‑1_6
     https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3381-1_6 [Google Scholar]
  43. Liu, F.-H.
    (1997) Scope and Specificity. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins. 10.1075/la.16
     https://doi.org/10.1075/la.16 [Google Scholar]
  44. Longobardi, G.
    (1994) Reference and proper names. Linguistic Inquiry25: 609–666.
     [Google Scholar]
  45. (2001) How comparative is semantics? A unified parametric theory of bare nouns and proper names. Natural Language Semantics 2001.9(4): 335–369. 10.1023/A:1014861111123
     https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014861111123 [Google Scholar]
  46. Lu, S. (陆烁) ., and H. Pan (潘海华)
    (2009) 汉语无定主语的语义允准分析Hanyu wuding zhuyu de yuyi yunzhun fenxi [The semantic licensing conditions of indefinite subjects in Mandarin Chinese]. 《中国语文》Zhongguo Yuwen [Studies of the Chinese Languages]. (6): 528–537.
     [Google Scholar]
  47. Matthewson, L.
    (1999) On the interpretation of wide-scope indefinites. Natural Language Semantics7: 79–134. 10.1023/A:1008376601708
     https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008376601708 [Google Scholar]
  48. Portner, P.
    (2002) Topicality and (non-)specificity in Mandarin. Journal of Semantics19: 275–287. 10.1093/jos/19.3.275
     https://doi.org/10.1093/jos/19.3.275 [Google Scholar]
  49. Portner, P. and K. Yabushita
    (2001) Specific indefinites and the information structure theory of topics. Journal of Semantics18: 271–297. 10.1093/jos/18.3.271
     https://doi.org/10.1093/jos/18.3.271 [Google Scholar]
  50. Ritter, E.
    (1988) A head-movement approach to construct-state noun phrases. Linguistics26: 909–929. 10.1515/ling.1988.26.6.909
     https://doi.org/10.1515/ling.1988.26.6.909 [Google Scholar]
  51. Rothstein, S.
    (2010) Counting and the mass/count distinction. Journal of Semantics27(3): 343–397. 10.1093/jos/ffq007
     https://doi.org/10.1093/jos/ffq007 [Google Scholar]
  52. Scha, R. J. H.
    (1981) Distributive, collective, and cumulative quantification. InJeroen A. G. Groenendijk, Theo M. V. Janssen and Martin B. J. Stokhof (eds.), Formal Methods in the Study of Language, 483–512. Amsterdam: Mathematical Center.
     [Google Scholar]
  53. Shen, Y.
    (1999) Sentences with indefinite subjects and their information structures. InBaozhang, He and Wenze Hu (eds.), Proceedings of the 11th North American Conference on Chinese Linguistics, Harvard University.
     [Google Scholar]
  54. Tsai, W.-T. D.
    (2001) On subject specificity and theory of syntax-semantics interface. Journal of East Asian Linguistics10: 129–168. 10.1023/A:1008321327978
     https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008321327978 [Google Scholar]
  55. (1994) On economizing the theory of A-bare dependencies. Doctoral dissertation, MIT.
     [Google Scholar]
  56. Vergnaud, J.-R. and M. L. Zubizarreta
    (1992) The definite determiner and the inalienable constructions in French and English. Linguistic Inquiry23: 595–652.
     [Google Scholar]
  57. Ward, G. and E. Prince
    (1991) On the topicalization of indefinite NPs. Journal of Pragmatics. 16(2): 167–177. 10.1016/0378‑2166(91)90079‑D
     https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-2166(91)90079-D [Google Scholar]
  58. Xu, L. J.
    (1997) Limitation on subjecthood of numerically quantified noun phrases: a pragmatic approach. InLiejiong Xu, (ed.), The referential properties of Chinese noun phrases, Paris: EHESS.
     [Google Scholar]
  59. Yang, R.
    (2001) Common nouns, classifiers and quantification in Chinese. Doctoral dissertation, The State University of New Jersey, Rutgers.
     [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.1075/ijchl.00011.wu
Loading
  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): cardinal subject; existentials; focus; genericity; thetic judgment; topicality

Most Cited

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error