International Journal of Chinese Linguistics - Volume 10, Issue 1, 2023

Abstract

The paper presents empirical evidence for six reconstruction effects in Mandarin Chinese. It includes data concerning the copula verb, epistemic modals, scope of aspectual sentence-final particle –le over indefinite wh-phrases, downward entailing quantifiers, predicates of creation, Binding Condition B, quantifier scope and dōu-quantification. The syntactic structures in which reconstruction applies can be derived either by A- or A-bar-movement. Our investigation brings empirical facts to bear on the syntax-semantics interface showing an essential property of natural language that semantic properties and syntactic structures do not vary freely.

Abstract

The present study focuses on the refutatory wh-sentences in Chinese. The main idea is two-fold. First, contrary to the previous accounts arguing for the interrogative nature of refutatory sentences, we argue that refutatory wh-sentences exclude the interrogative force and should be distinguished from rhetorical questions accordingly. Second, we will show that all wh-words bearing the refutatory interpretation should occur as adjuncts, which are syntactically placed in the left periphery. Two subtypes of refutatory wh-adjuncts, namely, propositional refutatory wh-adjuncts and modal refutatory wh-adjuncts, are further classified in this study. The former is semantically akin to the pure negator bu, while the latter semantically relates to modality.

Abstract

Previous research has long been divided on the issues of Chinese tone bearing unit and lexical stress. To help address these issues, the present study proposes a tonal timing framework based on two types of timing units, specified μ and unspecified X. It uses Mandarin third tone sandhi and Shanghai Wu tone split and spread processes to illustrate that the proposed framework can provide a unified account of different tone sandhi processes from the temporal dimension. It also discusses the implications of the framework for the TBU size, default tone type, tonal prominence, tonal foot, word-level prominence, and tone-syllable association.

摘要

在方言對比和諧聲串聯的基礎上，本文訴諸舌根音唇化、舌根塞音塞擦化和去塞擦化，論述臺閩語「箍茶~、豆~｣、｢啡~血、~痰、~瀾：吐口水呸~瀾：吐口水｣、｢齊~勻：平均、喬協調、調整｣、｢晬度~：周歲｣、｢逗、鬥拼湊、同居、結伴一起」和臺灣華語「拐架~子」的本字分別是「麩｣、｢唾｣、｢調｣、｢歲｣、｢湊」及「肘」。中古字母未必是語音討論起點，同音替代時日一久，積非成是。一個理論意義是：知組上古恐非來自端組，而是見組。

This article reviews Language Contact and Change in Chinese97831106100629783110612981