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Volume 18, Issue 4
  • ISSN 1606-822X
  • E-ISSN: 2309-5067
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Abstract

Abstract

In this paper, some mysteries and asymmetries of the Chinese potential construction are investigated. It is shown that a morphosytnactic approach is conducive to accounting for these puzzles. First we explore the possibility of taking and its negative counterpart - as functional heads (cf. Tsai 2001T. Wu 2004). It is proposed that could be a functional head with the negative potential (i.e. impossible/impermissible) meaning. This could be evidenced by both empirical data and theoretical deduction. It is argued that in V--R, which is distinct from the normal pre-verbal negative morpheme , is actually . This helps to explain why the negative potential meaning is involved in V--R. Meanwhile, V- and V--R are both assumed to be formed through Morphological Merger (cf. Marantz 1988Embick & Noyer 20012007, etc.). Meanwhile, we have discussed some asymmetries observed between V- and V--R and some paradigmatic asymmetries between potential V- construction and its negative potential V- construction. It is assumed that these syntactic asymmetries may be due to some morphological operations related to and .

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2017-10-10
2024-12-10

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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): bude; de; morphological merger; syntax-morphology interface

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