1887
Volume 2, Issue 1
  • ISSN 2213-8706
  • E-ISSN: 2213-8714
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Abstract

This paper investigates the semantic and syntactic properties of [N(oun)+de+Q(uantifier)] in Mandarin Chinese. Based on a comparison with the quantitive construction [Q+N], the paper advocates that [N+de+Q] is the Chinese partitive construction. Adopting a clausal approach to the syntactic derivation of partitives, it is hypothesized that Chinese partitives are formed via applying Predicate Inversion to a small clause that features a BELONG-type possession relationship. The difference between Chinese partitives and English-type partitives in terms of the surface word order is a result of a parametric variation with respect to whether the remnant of Predication Inversion undergoes further raising or not.

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/content/journals/10.1075/ijchl.2.1.04jin
2015-01-01
2025-02-06
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): partitives; possession.; predicate inversion; quantitives
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