RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Zhang, Anqi YR 2023 T1 Mandarin de-adjectival degree achievements as inchoative statives JF Language and Linguistics VO 24 IS 1 SP 146 OP 180 DO https://doi.org/10.1075/lali.00128.zha PB John Benjamins SN 1606-822X, AB Abstract

Mandarin degree adjectives can give rise to a degree achievement reading with the perfective marker le. In this paper, I argue that de-adjectival degree achievements in Mandarin are inchoative statives, whose core meaning component is a reflexive comparative that compares the present state with a previous state in some property of the same individual. My new analysis better captures the facts that de-adjectival degree achievements show variable telicity, that they give rise to stative readings with duration phrases, and that they are compatible with time as a comparative standard. Because the comparison is between two states at different times, a degree-achievement reading can be inferred even though the predicate is stative in semantics., UL https://www.jbe-platform.com/content/journals/10.1075/lali.00128.zha