1887
Volume 24, Issue 2
  • ISSN 1606-822X
  • E-ISSN: 2309-5067

Abstract

Abstract

Assigning constructions in Mandarin Chinese are special in that they often read like passives. With this in mind, the goal of this paper is twofold. First, I aim to compare assigning constructions with typical passive constructions of in Mandarin Chinese. Second, I attempt to seek an approach that may derive assigning constructions desirably. The research results are as follows. I have found that assigning constructions and passives differ both semantically and syntactically. I argue, contrary to Xiong (2010), that is not a passive morpheme since, unlike Mandarin passives or English passives, assigning constructions do not always exhibit the initial NP as a Patient or Theme. I also argue against the traditional treatment of as a preposition and instead propose that is a three-place predicate taking an IP complement. I show that the bi-clausal structure deriving from the verb analysis receives empirical support from binding phenomena.

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2023-04-09
2024-12-07
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): assigning; bi-clausal; binding; passive; patient
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