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Volume 5, Issue 1
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Abstract

Abstract

This paper tackles the long-standing problem of the phrase structure of the descriptive V- construction in Mandarin, and proposes a variant of the Primary Predication analysis. I argue that the suffix - is a nominalizing head that turns the verb to which it attaches into a nominal event argument, which is in turn predicated over by the descriptive adjectival phrase, the primary predicate of the construction. This syntactic analysis allows for a straightforward explanation for the presupposition-focus semantics of this construction based on structured event quantification. In addition, it is shown that previous arguments that go against the Primary Predication hypothesis (including the distribution of the A-not-A form and negation, and the scope relation between an IP-level element and the adjectival phrase) either do not constitute counterevidence or are simply irrelevant. Further support for the proposal is provided that draws on a number of syntactic properties of the descriptive V- construction and on the distinction between the descriptive adjectival phrase on the one hand and secondary predicates and adverbial adjuncts on the other hand.

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2018-08-10
2023-05-28

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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): adjectival predication; descriptive V-de construction; event semantics; nominalization; secondary predication

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