%0 Journal Article %A Wang, Changsong %T On some mysteries, asymmetries and derivation of potential de construction in Chinese %D 2017 %J Language and Linguistics %V 18 %N 4 %P 647-698 %@ 1606-822X %R https://doi.org/10.1075/lali.18.4.04wan %K syntax-morphology interface %K bude %K de %K morphological merger %I John Benjamins %X Abstract In this paper, some mysteries and asymmetries of the Chinese potential de construction are investigated. It is shown that a morphosytnactic approach is conducive to accounting for these puzzles. First we explore the possibility of taking de and its negative counterpart -bude as functional heads (cf. Tsai 2001; T. Wu 2004). It is proposed that bude 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 bu in V-bu-R, which is distinct from the normal pre-verbal negative morpheme bu, is actually bude. This helps to explain why the negative potential meaning is involved in V-bu-R. Meanwhile, V-de/bude and V-de/bu-R are both assumed to be formed through Morphological Merger (cf. Marantz 1988; Embick & Noyer 2001, 2007, etc.). Meanwhile, we have discussed some asymmetries observed between V-de/bude and V-de/bu-R and some paradigmatic asymmetries between potential V-de construction and its negative potential V-bude construction. It is assumed that these syntactic asymmetries may be due to some morphological operations related to de and bude. %U https://www.jbe-platform.com/content/journals/10.1075/lali.18.4.04wan