Lee Yin Fai. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [143-148]). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgement --- p.i / Abstract --- p.ii / Contents --- p.iv / List of Tables --- p.vi / Chapter Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.0 --- Negation in natural language --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Negation in spoken languages: a typological description --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Sentential negation and constituent negation --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Assertion and sentential negation --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Sentential negation and emphatic affirmation --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Sentential negation versus constituent negation --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3. --- Sentential negation and the tense/aspect system --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4 --- Scope ambiguities of quantification and sentential negation --- p.16 / Chapter 1.5 --- Scope of the present study --- p.22 / Chapter 1.6 --- Data collection and notation conventions --- p.28 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Spontaneous naturalistic data --- p.28 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Elicited data --- p.28 / Chapter 1.6.3 --- Notation conventions --- p.29 / Chapter 1.7 --- Thesis organization --- p.29 / Chapter Chapter 2. --- Negation in Sign Languages --- p.31 / Chapter 2.0 --- Introduction --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1 --- Negation in sign languages: a typological description --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Constituent negation in sign languages --- p.33 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Sentential negation in sign languages --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2 --- Different approaches to analyses of negation in sign languages --- p.40 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- The syntax of headshake in sign languages --- p.40 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- The syntax and semantics of ASL manual negation markers --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.2.1 --- Syntax and Semantics of negators in ASL --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.2.2 --- Clause-final negator and focus?? --- p.58 / Chapter 2.3 --- Chapter summary --- p.61 / Chapter Chapter 3. --- Negation in Hong Kong Sign Language --- p.63 / Chapter 3.0 --- Introduction --- p.63 / Chapter 3.1 --- Non-manual negative expressions in HKSL --- p.63 / Chapter 3.2 --- Constituent negation in HKSL --- p.67 / Chapter 3.3 --- Sentential negation in HKSL --- p.75 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Negative Modals --- p.76 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Negative Temporals --- p.80 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Simple negatives: NOT and NOT-HAVE --- p.82 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Negative locative-existential: NOT´ؤEXIST --- p.85 / Chapter 3.4 --- Syntactic position of the sentential negators --- p.87 / Chapter 3.5 --- Chapter summary --- p.90 / Chapter Chapter 4. --- NOT and NOT一HAVE in Hong Kong Sign Language --- p.91 / Chapter 4.0 --- Introduction --- p.91 / Chapter 4.1 --- Sentential negation in HKSL --- p.91 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Sentential negator NOT --- p.92 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Sentential negator NOT´ؤHAVE --- p.94 / Chapter 4.2 --- Semantic Distinction of NOT and NOT´ؤHAVE --- p.95 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Eventualities versus propositions --- p.96 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Event variables --- p.98 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Negative existential quantifier NOT HAVE --- p.99 / Chapter 4.3 --- Interaction with other semantic categories --- p.104 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- NOT and NOT´ؤHAVE: Scope ambiguity with quantifier ALL --- p.105 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- NOT and NOT_HAVE with aspect in HKSL --- p.111 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- NOT versus NOT´ؤHAVE: identification and existence --- p.118 / Chapter 4.4 --- Chapter Summary --- p.124 / Chapter Chapter 5. --- Conclusion --- p.126 / Appendix 1 List of Examples / Bibliography

就最簡方案(Minimalist Program)而言，本研究從語法及語義上對動詞連用結構(Serial Verb Constructions)在香港手語 (Hong Kong Sign Language)進行了分析考察，並從動詞連用的種類，其語義範圍及句法成份進行了分析歸類。根據動詞短語在結構中的現象及限制，本文概括並歸納出八種結構方式：行動方向連動結構 (Motion-directional SVCs)、取－連動結構〔工具〕(Take-SVCs (Instrument))、取－連動結構 [受事者] (Take-SVCs (Theme))、給予－連動結構 (Give-SVCs)、及物連動結構 (Transitive Class-SVCs)、 結果連動結構〔受事者〕(Resultative-SVCs (Theme))、結果連動結構〔施事者〕(Resultative-SVCs (Agent))；及方式連動結構 (Manner-SVCs)。 / 研究結果顯示，與口語中動詞連用結構一樣，論元共享(argument sharing)是香港手語中動詞連用結構的其中一個重要特徵。香港手話中動詞連用結構可分為三類：a.) 施事論元共享(agent argument sharing); b.) 受事論元共享(theme argument sharing)及 c.) 施事論元及受事論元共享(agent and theme argument sharing) 。 / 就香港手語中連動詞的句法分析，通過副詞位置(the placement of VP adverb)及動詞的必要性(Obligatoriness of VP)，兩者印證這八類動詞連用結構為補足關係(complementation)。此外，本研究假設香港手語連動詞結構的論元句法依存(Syntactic Dependencies)可通過兩種方法建立。一．) 空語類(an empty category)；二．）顯性代名語(overt pronominal)。就前者而言，跟隨 Hornstein (1999, 2001) 提倡論旨角色屬性核對(-role feature checking)的方案，某些動詞連用結構中的共享施事論元和受事論元是透過論元移位(A-movement) 所洐生出來的名詞片語語跡(NP-trace)；另外，及物連動結構 (Transitive Class-SVCs)中的共享受事論元表現為自由空語類(free empty category)，其意思可在語用(pragmatic)層面上由先行語(antecedent)或基礎洐生的話題(topic)准許(licenced)。就後者而言，當動詞連用結構中的兩個動詞是由量詞謂語(classifier predicate)組成，共享施事論元或／和受事論元則通過量詞(classifier)作為顯性代名語表現出來。 / 本研究對香港手語中論元分享的句法依存可透過兩種方法表達的說法，對現時手語中動詞連用結構的研究帶來重大的意義。它不但與口語研究的分析相似，即手語中的動詞連用結構的結構論元分享也可透過空語類這類明確的組配語言原則來解釋。此外，它對語言中動詞連用結構中論元分享的現象亦提出了的新觀點，即手語中這類結構的論元分享可透過顯性代名詞表現出來。 / This research explores Serial Verb Constructions (henceforth SVCs) in Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL) with respect to their syntactic and semantic aspects within the Minimalist Program (the MP). Specifically, it aims to study SVCs in HKSL with regard to characteristics such as types of serial verbs, range of semantic notions that can be expressed by these verbs, and the syntactic representation of each type of serial verbs. Based upon the restriction of the limited set of verbs that can occur in the series, eight types of SVCs are classified in HKSL, namely Motion-directional SVCs, Take-SVCs (Instrument), Take-SVCs (Theme), Give-SVCs, Transitive-SVCs, Resultative-SVCs (Theme), Resultative-SVCs (Agent) and Manner-SVCs. / The data from HKSL shows the property of obligatory argument sharing in these types of SVCs, which conforms to the robust cross-linguistic observation about SVCs. These constructions can either be a.) the agent argument sharing; b.) the theme argument sharing; or c.) both. / With respect to the syntactic behavior among SVCs in HKSL, the placement of VP adverb and obligatoriness of VP tests show that the eight types of SVCs have a homogeneous structure, i.e. a complementation structure. In addition, this research concludes that the syntactic dependencies of arguments in SVCs in HKSL can be realized in two major ways: 1.) an empty category; 2.) an overt pronominal. In terms of the former, the empty category can be realized as either an NP trace, or a free empty category. Specifically, the shared agent argument and the shared theme argument in some types of SVCs can be realized by an NP trace via A-movement triggered by -role feature checking suggested by Hornstein (1999, 2001), and the shared theme argument can be realized as a free empty category which is base-generated in Transitive class-SVCs, and its interpretation is pragmatically licensed by the antecedent or base-generated topic. In terms of the latter, in the types of SVCs that the two verbs are expressed as classifier predicates, the shared agent or/and theme argument can be observed through the use of the classifier which is realized as an overt pronominal in the syntactic structure, and is licensed by its antecedent in the discourse/pragmatic context. / The claim that HKSL has two ways to show the syntactic dependency of the shared argument(s) is significant to the current study of SVCs in the literature. It not only shows an agreement with the general analysis in spoken language literature, where the linguistic evidence of the shared argument(s) in SVCs in sign languages can also be conceptualized through the stipulation of explicitly constructed linguistic principles, i.e. by means of an empty category, it also contributes to the linguistic evidence for the concept of shared argument(s) of SVCs across languages, by showing that the syntactic dependency of the shared argument in certain types of SVCs in sign languages can be explicitly realized as an overt pronominal in the form of a classifier. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Lau, Sin Yee Prudence. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 463-473). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.p. i / 論文摘要 --- p.p. ii / Acknowledgements --- p.p. iii / Table of Content --- p.p. iv / Notation Conventions on Sign Language Data --- p.p. viii / List of Abbreviations --- p.p. x / List of Tables --- p.p. xii / List of Figures --- p.p. xiii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.p. 1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Do Serial Verb Constructions (SVCs) Exist in Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL)? --- p.p. 1 / Chapter 1.2 --- SVCs in Sign Languages: Some Initial Observation --- p.p. 3 / Chapter 1.3 --- Motivations of Investigating SVCs in HKSL --- p.p. 7 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Research Questions --- p.p. 9 / Chapter 1.4 --- Theoretical Background: The Minimalist Program --- p.p. 10 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- The Basic Tenets --- p.p. 11 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Bare Phrase Structure --- p.p. 12 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Phase Theory and Cyclic Derivation --- p.p. 18 / Chapter 1.5 --- Research Methodology --- p.p. 23 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Data Collection --- p.p. 23 / Chapter 1.6 --- Thesis Outline & Summary of Research Findings --- p.p. 24 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Serial Verb Constructions in Spoken Languages --- p.p. 27 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.p. 27 / Chapter 2.2 --- The Origin of SVCs in Spoken Languages --- p.p. 27 / Chapter 2.3 --- Typology of SVCs in Spoken Languages --- p.p. 29 / Chapter 2.4 --- SVCs: The Phenomenon --- p.p. 37 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Formal Properties of SVCs --- p.p. 37 / Chapter 2.4.1.1 --- Single Predicates --- p.p. 40 / Chapter 2.4.1.2 --- Single Event --- p.p. 41 / Chapter 2.4.1.3 --- Monoclausality --- p.p. 42 / Chapter 2.4.1.4 --- Shared ATM, Modality and Polarity Values --- p.p. 43 / Chapter 2.4.1.5 --- Shared Arguments --- p.p. 45 / Chapter 2.4.1.6 --- Prosodic Properties --- p.p. 47 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- SVCs: Macro Event Property --- p.p. 48 / Chapter 2.5 --- Tests for SVCs in Spoken Languages --- p.p. 51 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Extraction --- p.p. 52 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Predicate Cleft Construction --- p.p. 54 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Referential Pronoun --- p.p. 55 / Chapter 2.5.4 --- The Placement of Adverb and Negation --- p.p. 56 / Chapter 2.6 --- Implications on Research of SVCs in HKSL --- p.p. 59 / Chapter 2.7 --- Chapter Summary --- p.p. 62 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Syntactic Analyses of Serial Verb Constructions in Spoken Languages --- p.p. 64 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.p. 64 / Chapter 3.2 --- Formal Analyses of SVCs in Natural Languages --- p.p. 77 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Resultative-SVCs (Theme) --- p.p. 78 / Chapter 3.2.1.1 --- Symmetric Sharing Analysis --- p.p. 79 / Chapter 3.2.2.1.1 --- Baker (1989, 1991) --- p.p. 79 / Chapter 3.2.1.1.2 --- Baker & Stewart (2002) --- p.p. 82 / Chapter 3.2.1.1.3 --- Lidz & Williams (2002) --- p.p. 86 / Chapter 3.2.1.2 --- Empty Category Analysis --- p.p. 89 / Chapter 3.2.1.2.1 --- Collins (1997, 2002) --- p.p. 89 / Chapter 3.2.1.2.2 --- Nishiyama (1998) --- p.p. 94 / Chapter 3.2.1.2.3 --- Carstens (2002) --- p.p. 98 / Chapter 3.2.1.2.4 --- Veenstra (1993, 1996) --- p.p. 99 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Transitive Class-SVCs --- p.p. 103 / Chapter 3.2.2.1 --- Empty Category Analysis --- p.p. 104 / Chapter 3.2.2.1.1 --- Baker & Stewart (2002) --- p.p. 104 / Chapter 3.2.2.1.2 --- Bukhari (2009) --- p.p. 107 / Chapter 3.2.2.2 --- Symmetric Sharing Analysis --- p.p. 112 / Chapter 3.2.2.2.1 --- Choi (2003) --- p.p. 112 / Chapter 3.2.2.2.2 --- Hiraiwa & Bodomo (2008) --- p.p. 116 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Take-SVCs (Instrument) --- p.p. 118 / Chapter 3.2.3.1 --- Empty Category Analysis --- p.p. 119 / Chapter 3.2.3.1.1 --- Corne et al. (1996) --- p.p. 120 / Chapter 3.2.3.1.2 --- Law (1996) --- p.p. 122 / Chapter 3.2.3.1.3 --- Collins (1997, 2002) --- p.p. 124 / Chapter 3.2.3.1.4 --- Carstens (2002) --- p.p. 125 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Take-SVCs (Theme) --- p.p. 127 / Chapter 3.2.4.1 --- Empty Category Analysis --- p.p. 128 / Chapter 3.2.4.1.1 --- Law & Veenstra (1992) and Veenstra (1993, 1996) --- p.p. 128 / Chapter 3.2.4.1.2 --- Muysken & Veenstra (1995) --- p.p. 130 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Displacement Verb-SVcs with VP2 as Directional Verb --- p.p. 132 / Chapter 3.2.5.1 --- Empty Category Analysis --- p.p. 133 / Chapter 3.2.5.1.1 --- Law (1996) --- p.p. 133 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- Motion-directional SVCs --- p.p. 135 / Chapter 3.2.6.1 --- Symmetrical Sharing Analysis --- p.p. 136 / Chapter 3.2.6.1.1 --- Benedicto, Cvejanov & Quer (2008) --- p.p. 136 / Chapter 3.3 --- Interim Discussion --- p.p. 138 / Chapter 3.4 --- Chapter Summary --- p.p. 140 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Serial Verb Constructions in Hong Kong Sign Language --- p.p. 142 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.p. 142 / Chapter 4.2 --- Motion-directional SVCs --- p.p. 144 / Chapter 4.3 --- Take-SVCs --- p.p. 158 / Chapter 4.4 --- Give-SVCs --- p.p. 174 / Chapter 4.5 --- Transitive Class-SVCs --- p.p. 186 / Chapter 4.6 --- Resultative-SVCs --- p.p. 195 / Chapter 4.7 --- Manner-SVCs --- p.p. 207 / Chapter 4.8 --- Interim Discussion and Chapter Summary --- p.p. 215 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Syntactic Diagnostics of Serial Verb Constructions in Hong Kong Sign Language --- p.p. 218 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.p. 218 / Chapter 5.2 --- Other Possible Tests for SVCs in HKSL --- p.p. 219 / Chapter 5.3 --- Coordination in HKSL --- p.p. 221 / Chapter 5.4 --- Subordination in HKSL --- p.p. 224 / Chapter 5.4.1 --- Sentential Complements --- p.p. 224 / Chapter 5.4.2 --- Relative Clauses --- p.p. 225 / Chapter 5.5 --- SVCs vs Coordination and Subordination in HKSL --- p.p. 226 / Chapter 5.5.1 --- The Distribution of Q-Morpheme --- p.p. 227 / Chapter 5.5.2 --- The Distribution of VP Adverbs --- p.p. 230 / Chapter 5.5.3 --- A'-Extraction --- p.p. 243 / Chapter 5.5.3.1 --- A'-Extraction via Topicalization --- p.p. 243 / Chapter 5.5.3.2 --- A'-Extraction via Wh-Word --- p.p. 250 / Chapter 5.5.4 --- Referential Pronoun --- p.p. 257 / Chapter 5.5.5 --- The Distribution of Negation Morpheme --- p.p. 263 / Chapter 5.5.6 --- The Distribution of Temporal Adverbs --- p.p. 273 / Chapter 5.5.7 --- Special tests for Serial Verb Constructions in HKSL --- p.p. 277 / Chapter 5.5.7.1 --- FINISH Test --- p.p. 278 / Chapter 5.5.7.2 --- Non-manual Features --- p.p. 282 / Chapter 5.6 --- Chapter Summary --- p.p. 287 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Verb Headedness of Serial Verb Constructions in Hong Kong Sign Language --- p.p. 288 / Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.p. 288 / Chapter 6.2 --- Headedness of Serial Verb Constructions in HKSL --- p.p. 288 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Extraction via Topicalization --- p.p. 295 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- The Distribution of VP Adverbs --- p.p. 299 / Chapter 6.2.3 --- Obligatorinesss of VPs --- p.p. 306 / Chapter 6.3 --- Interim Discussion and Chapter Summary --- p.p. 309 / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Syntactic Dependencies of Arguments in Serial Verb Constructions in Hong Kong Sign Language --- p.p. 314 / Chapter 7.1 --- Introduction --- p.p. 314 / Chapter 7.1.1 --- Lam's (2009) Phrase Structure in HKSL --- p.p. 318 / Chapter 7.2 --- The Categorical Status of Classifiers in HKSL --- p.p. 319 / Chapter 7.2.1 --- Classifiers as Agreement Affixes --- p.p. 319 / Chapter 7.2.1.1 --- Glűck & Pfau (1998) --- p.p. 320 / Chapter 7.2.1.2 --- Zwitserlood (2003, 2008) --- p.p. 321 / Chapter 7.3.1.3 --- Interim Discussion --- p.p. 325 / Chapter 7.2.2 --- Classifiers as Overt Pronominals --- p.p. 327 / Chapter 7.3 --- Syntactic Dependencies involving Classifiers in SVCs in HKSL --- p.p. 329 / Chapter 7.3.1 --- Overt Pronominals as Shared Arguments --- p.p. 330 / Chapter 7.4 --- Syntactic Projection of Classifiers in HKSL --- p.p. 333 / Chapter 7.4.1 --- Previous Studies of Classifiers as Agreement Affixes in the Syntactic Structure --- p.p. 333 / Chapter 7.4.1.1 --- Lau (2002) --- p.p. 334 / Chapter 7.4.1.2 --- Benedicto & Brentari (2004) --- p.p. 336 / Chapter 7.4.1.3 --- Lam (2009) --- p.p. 339 / Chapter 7.4.1.4 --- Interim Discussion --- p.p. 341 / Chapter 7.4.2 --- Classifiers as Agreement Affixes in the Syntactic Structure VCLP --- p.p. 348 / Chapter 7.4.3 --- Classifiers as Overt Pronominals in the Syntactic Structure --- p.p. 354 / Chapter 7.5 --- Syntactic Dependencies involving Null Arguments in SVCs in HKSL --- p.p. 356 / Chapter 7.5.1 --- The Categorical Status of Empty Categories --- p.p. 357 / Chapter 7.5.2 --- Free Empty Category as Shared Argument --- p.p. 360 / Chapter 7.5.3 --- NP Traces as Shared Argument --- p.p. 367 / Chapter 7.6 --- Chapter Summary --- p.p. 378 / Chapter Chapter 8 --- Syntactic Derivations of Serial Verb Constructions in Hong Kong Sign Language --- p.p. 380 / Chapter 8.1 --- Introduction --- p.p. 380 / Chapter 8.2 --- Syntactic Derivations of SVCs involving a Complementation Structure --- p.p. 380 / Chapter 8.2.1 --- Motion-directional SVCs --- p.p. 381 / Chapter 8.2.2 --- Manner-SVCs --- p.p. 386 / Chapter 8.2.3 --- Give-SVCs --- p.p. 393 / Chapter 8.2.4 --- Take-SVCs (Instrument) --- p.p. 396 / Chapter 8.2.5 --- Take-SVCs (Theme) --- p.p. 402 / Chapter 8.2.6 --- Transitive Class-SVCs --- p.p. 408 / Chapter 8.2.7 --- Resultative-SVCs (Agent) --- p.p. 413 / Chapter 8.2.8 --- Resultative-SVCs (Theme) --- p.p. 419 / Chapter 8.3 --- Chapter Summary --- p.p. 423 / Chapter Chapter 9 --- Conclusion --- p.p. 425 / Chapter Appendices --- p.p. 429 / Chapter Appendix 1 --- Background of Sign Languages --- p.p. 429 / Chapter Appendix 2 --- Lam's (2009) Phrase Structure in HKSL --- p.p. 445 / Chapter Appendix 3 --- Results of Syntactic Tests in SVCs and Multi-verb Constructions in HKSL --- p.p. 453 / Chapter Appendix 4 --- Sample Files of ELan --- p.p. 456 / Chapter Appendix 5 --- List of Movie Clips --- p.p. 458 / Chapter Appendix 6 --- Samples of Elicitation Tasks --- p.p. 460 / References --- p.p. 463

I propose that the HKSL phrase structure has a head-initial vP, but a head-final TP and NegP given the word order and syntactic positions of various functional elements, modals, auxiliary-like elements and negators. Previous discussion on Continuity-Maturation debate largely focuses on the presence/absence of functional projections in child phrase structure. The fact that functional projections are available at an early age in HKSL suggests that the early phrase structure is not just VP (as suggested by the Small Clause Hypothesis). The data show further that syntactic movement like V-to-v movement, object shift and subject raising in the adult grammar take time to develop. The findings support the Continuity view. / The grammatical category VERB in HKSL can be in various forms: lexical verbs and classifier predicates. Lexical verbs have three subtypes: agreement verbs, spatial verbs and plain verbs. These three types of lexical verbs have different properties. Agreement verbs can be marked overtly for verb agreement. Spatial verbs may encode locations of the entities. Plain verbs contrast with agreement verbs in that they are not marked for any agreement morphology or spatial locations. Classifier predicates usually consist of a verb root and classifier handshapes which may refer to the arguments. Given different properties of these different forms, the HKSL verbs are regrouped as plain verbs and non-plain verbs (i.e. agreement verbs, spatial verbs and verb roots of classifier predicates). A development from morphologically simpler verbs to morphologically complex verbs is observed while other factors like knowledge of signing space and input ambiguity also influence the developmental pattern of various kinds of verbs. / This thesis examines different forms of VERB and functional elements in a set of longitudinal data of a deaf child named CC in order to address the Continuity-Maturation debate. In particular, I explore the development of various forms of VERB, which lays the foundation of the study of early HKSL phrase structure. The Continuity-Maturation debate is addressed on the basis of presence/absence of a light verb phrase (vP), Tense Phrase (TP) and Negation Phrase (NegP) and syntactic movements like V-to-v movement, object shift and subject raising in early HKSL. / Lam, Wai Sze. / Adviser: Wai Lan Gladys Tang. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 71-01, Section: A, page: 0164. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 269-279). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

Lam Wai-sze. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 209-214). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgements --- p.i / Abstract --- p.iii / List of Abbreviations --- p.v / Table of Contents --- p.vi / Chapter Chapter One --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.0 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- "Research Focus.," --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Methodology --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Notational Conventions --- p.8 / Chapter 1.4 --- Thesis Outline --- p.11 / Chapter Chapter Two --- Verb Agreement in Spoken Languages --- p.13 / Chapter 2.0 --- Introduction --- p.13 / Chapter 2.1 --- Realizations of agreement features --- p.13 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Personal Pronoun --- p.14 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Verb Agreement --- p.17 / Chapter 2.1.2.1 --- Subject-verb agreement --- p.17 / Chapter 2.1.2.2 --- Subject-verb agreement and verb-object agreement --- p.21 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Summary --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2 --- Properties of agreement markers --- p.24 / Chapter 2.3 --- Formal Approaches to Verb Agreement --- p.26 / Chapter 2.4 --- Chapter Summary --- p.34 / Chapter Chapter Three --- Verb Agreement in Signed Languages --- p.35 / Chapter 3.0 --- Introduction --- p.35 / Chapter 3.1 --- Agreement features in personal pronouns --- p.35 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Person --- p.35 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Number --- p.42 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Gender --- p.43 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Summary --- p.43 / Chapter 3.2 --- Verbs and agreement marking --- p.43 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Verb Types --- p.44 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Verb Agreement --- p.50 / Chapter 3.2.2.1 --- Verb Agreement as a relation between verbs and arguments ´ؤ true or not true? --- p.52 / Chapter 3.2.2.2 --- Why location marking is not part of agreement marking? --- p.62 / Chapter 3.2.2.3 --- Confusion on person distinctions --- p.63 / Chapter 3.2.2.4 --- Number and Gender marking --- p.66 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Summary --- p.68 / Chapter 3.3 --- Optionality of verb agreement in signed languages --- p.68 / Chapter 3.4 --- Role shift and verb agreement --- p.69 / Chapter 3.5 --- Formal approaches to verb agreement in signed languages --- p.72 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Semantic approaches --- p.72 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Syntactic approaches --- p.75 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Mathur's (2000) phonological analysis --- p.78 / Chapter 3.6 --- Differences in verb agreement in spoken languages and signed languages --- p.79 / Chapter 3.7 --- Chapter Summary --- p.81 / Chapter Chapter Four --- Verb Agreement in Hong Kong Sign Language --- p.83 / Chapter 4.0 --- Introduction --- p.83 / Chapter 4.1 --- Person in personal pronouns --- p.84 / Chapter 4.2 --- Person marking in verbs --- p.94 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Verb Types --- p.95 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Spatial verbs and plain verbs ´ؤ absence of agreement marking --- p.97 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Agreement marking on agreement verbs --- p.101 / Chapter 4.2.3.1 --- Person distinctions in HKSL --- p.102 / Chapter 4.2.3.2 --- ´ب Optional agreement marking in HKSL --- p.112 / Chapter 4.2.3.3 --- Obligatory agreement marking in HKSL --- p.116 / Chapter 4.2.3.4 --- Absence of person marking --- p.122 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Does non-manual marking serve as an agreement marker in HKSL? --- p.123 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Summary --- p.125 / Chapter 4.3 --- Role shift and person marking --- p.126 / Chapter 4.4 --- Person marking and location marking --- p.132 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- How do we identify location marking? --- p.132 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- How does location marking affect person marking? --- p.135 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Is person marking covert in the presence of location marking? --- p.140 / Chapter 4.4.4 --- Summary --- p.142 / Chapter 4.5 --- "Person marking, Role shift and Location marking" --- p.143 / Chapter 4.6 --- Interim discussion --- p.144 / Chapter 4.6.1 --- Linguistic space --- p.144 / Chapter 4.6.2 --- Optional verb agreement revisited --- p.145 / Chapter 4.6.3 --- Modalities and verb agreement --- p.146 / Chapter 4.7 --- Chapter Summary --- p.149 / Chapter Chapter Five --- Towards an explanation --- p.150 / Chapter 5.0 --- Introduction --- p.150 / Chapter 5.1 --- Theoretical background --- p.150 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- The Minimalist Program (MP) --- p.150 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- The nature of features --- p.152 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Agreement marking and functional categories --- p.156 / Chapter 5.1.4 --- Feature checking as an agreement mechanism --- p.160 / Chapter 5.1.5 --- Optionality in MP.… --- p.168 / Chapter 5.2 --- Analysis of HKSL person agreement --- p.169 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Agreement projections in HKSL --- p.170 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Feature checking in HKSL --- p.172 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Optionality in person agreement in HKSL --- p.179 / Chapter 5.3 --- Reconsideration of the concept of Verb Agreement --- p.181 / Chapter 5.4 --- Chapter Summary --- p.182 / Chapter Chapter Six --- Conclusion --- p.183 / Appendices --- p.186 / Appendix 1 Sample picture stimuli for the picture narration --- p.187 / Appendix 2 Citation forms of elicited verbs in HKSL --- p.191 / Appendix 3 Figures of examples presented in Chapter Four --- p.196 / Appendix 4 Number marking in ASL --- p.206 / Appendix 5 Remarks on plural pronouns in HKSL --- p.208 / References --- p.209

Sin Yee Prudence, Lau. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction Page / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Causativity and causative constructions --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- A Typology of causative alternations --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2 --- Research focus: Causative alternation in Hong Kong Sign Language --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3 --- Thesis Outline --- p.9 / Chapter 1.4 --- A brief note on the transcription convention --- p.11 / Chapter 1.5 --- Linguistic research on Hong Kong Sign Language --- p.13 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Argument Structure approach to causative alternation / Chapter 2.0 --- Introduction --- p.16 / Chapter 2.1 --- Various approaches to causative alternations --- p.16 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- The Unaccusativity Hypothesis and Burzio´ةs Generalizations --- p.16 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Various approaches to causative alternations --- p.17 / Chapter 2.2 --- The concept of argument structure --- p.22 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- A semantic approach --- p.23 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- A syntactic approach --- p.27 / Chapter 2.3 --- The semantics of causative alternation --- p.33 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Causative alternation in English --- p.33 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Causative alternation in Chinese --- p.40 / Chapter 2.4 --- Causative alternation in signed languages --- p.44 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Classifiers in signed languages --- p.44 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Causative alternation in American Sign Language (ASL) --- p.50 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Causative alternation in Hong Kong Sign Language / Chapter 3.0 --- Introduction --- p.55 / Chapter 3.1 --- Experiment: picture-description task --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2 --- Results: --- p.58 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Volitional agents as external arguments --- p.58 / Chapter 3.2.1.1 --- Lexical causative variants with unaccusative counterparts --- p.60 / Chapter 3.2.1.2 --- Unaccusative variants without lexical causative counterparts --- p.71 / Chapter 3.2.1.3 --- Lexical causative variants without unaccusative counterparts --- p.85 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Natural forces and instruments as external arguments --- p.92 / Chapter 3.2.2.1 --- Unaccusative variants without lexical causative counterparts --- p.92 / Chapter 3.3 --- More evidence on lexical causative constructions --- p.99 / Chapter 3.4 --- Interim discussion --- p.109 / Chapter 3.5 --- Chapter summary --- p.118 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- The syntax of causative alternation in HKSL / Chapter 4.0 --- Introduction --- p.119 / Chapter 4.1 --- The X-bar theory --- p.120 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- The checking theory --- p.125 / Chapter 4.2 --- The derivation pattern of causative/unaccusative pairs in HKSL --- p.128 / Chapter 4.3 --- The abstract causative morpheme and feature checking --- p.135 / Chapter 4.4 --- Verbal classifiers as a functional projection --- p.140 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Functional categories and lexical categories --- p.141 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- The functional projection - verbal classifier phrase (VCLP) --- p.148 / Chapter 4.5 --- An alternative approach --- p.157 / Chapter 4.6 --- Chapter Summary --- p.163 / Chapter Chapter 5: --- Suggestion for future research --- p.164 / Appendix I: Notational conventions / Appendix II: Verb classes for the experiment / Appendix III: Picture stimuli for the experiment / Appendix IV: Figures / References

Lee Wai-Fung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [46-51] (3rd gp.)). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgement --- p.iii / Table of Contents --- p.iv / List of Tables and Figures --- p.vii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.0 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 . --- Aspect: a definition --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Analyses of verb classes --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Interim summary of analysis of verb classes --- p.14 / Chapter 1.3 --- Research questions --- p.16 / Chapter 1.4 --- Thesis outline --- p.18 / Chapter 1.5 --- Notation system --- p.18 / Chapter 1.6 --- Previous researches of Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL) --- p.20 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- The Study of Aspect --- p.22 / Chapter 2.0 --- Introduction --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1 --- Two-component Theory --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Viewpoint Aspect --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1.1.1 --- Perfective Viewpoint --- p.24 / Chapter 2.1.1.2 --- Imperfective Viewpoint --- p.26 / Chapter 2.1.1.3 --- Neutral Viewpoint --- p.27 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Situation Aspect --- p.28 / Chapter 2.1.2.1 --- Temporal features of situation types --- p.29 / Chapter 2.1.2.2 --- Situation Types --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1.2.2.1 --- Activity --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1.2.2.2 --- Accomplishments --- p.33 / Chapter 2.1.2.2.3 --- Achievements --- p.35 / Chapter 2.1.2.2.4 --- Semelfactives --- p.37 / Chapter 2.1.2.2.5 --- States --- p.38 / Chapter 2.1.2.2.6 --- Summary of the temporal features of the five situation types --- p.39 / Chapter 2.2 --- Aspect in signed languages --- p.41 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Viewpoint Aspect in signed languages --- p.42 / Chapter 2.2.1.1 --- Aspectual inflections of viewpoint in signed languages --- p.42 / Chapter 2.2.1.2 --- Aspect Markers in signed languages --- p.47 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Situation Aspect in signed languages --- p.52 / Chapter 2.3 --- Predictions on the movement features of verb types in HKSL --- p.61 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Situations Aspect in HKSL --- p.66 / Chapter 3.0 --- Introduction --- p.66 / Chapter 3.1 --- Background of informants --- p.66 / Chapter 3.2 --- Experiment 1: Comic strips and pictures description task --- p.67 / Chapter 3.3 --- Differentiating verb types in HKSL --- p.67 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Imperative test --- p.67 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Single movement test --- p.70 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Durative adverbial test --- p.71 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Telicity confirmation test --- p.72 / Chapter 3.4 --- Classification of situation types in HKSL --- p.74 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- States --- p.74 / Chapter 3.4.1.1 --- Generalization and statistics of movement features in States --- p.74 / Chapter 3.4.1.2 --- Psychological verbs --- p.75 / Chapter 3.4.1.3 --- Verbs of postures and locations --- p.77 / Chapter 3.4.1.4 --- Mental verbs and verb of possession/existence --- p.83 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Activities --- p.84 / Chapter 3.4.2.1 --- Generalization and statistics of movement features in Activities --- p.84 / Chapter 3.4.2.2 --- Activities with [TM] or [Repeat] --- p.85 / Chapter 3.4.2.3 --- Activities with single movements --- p.89 / Chapter 3.4.2.4 --- Activities without the feature [Path] --- p.91 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Semelfactives --- p.93 / Chapter 3.4.3.1 --- Generalization and statistics of movement features in Semelfactives --- p.93 / Chapter 3.4.3.2 --- Movement features of Semelfactives --- p.94 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Achievements --- p.98 / Chapter 3.4.4.1 --- Generalization and statistics of movement features in Achievements --- p.98 / Chapter 3.4.4.2 --- Achievements with the feature [Path] --- p.99 / Chapter 3.4.4.3 --- Achievements without the feature [Path] --- p.103 / Chapter 3.4.4.4 --- Multiple-events Activities consisting of Achievements as sub-events --- p.105 / Chapter 3.4.5 --- Accomplishments --- p.108 / Chapter 3.4.5.1 --- Generalization and statistics of movement features in Accomplishments --- p.108 / Chapter 3.4.5.2 --- Type (I) Accomplishments´ؤcomposite of an Activity verb and an outcome --- p.109 / Chapter 3.4.5.2.1 --- Activity and a quantifying particle (QP) --- p.110 / Chapter 3.4.5.2.2 --- Verb series in type (I) Accomplishments --- p.114 / Chapter 3.4.5.2.2.1 --- Serial Verb Construction --- p.114 / Chapter 3.4.5.2.2.2 --- Verbal Compound --- p.117 / Chapter 3.4.5.3 --- Type (II) Accomplishments´ؤsingle Accomplishment verbs --- p.122 / Chapter 3.5 --- Generalizations on the representation of situation types in HKSL --- p.126 / Chapter 3.6 --- Chapter summary --- p.131 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Aspectual Modification --- p.133 / Chapter 4.0 --- Introduction --- p.133 / Chapter 4.1 --- Viewpoint Aspect in HKSL´ؤan overview --- p.133 / Chapter 4.2 --- Experiment 2: Natural conversation --- p.135 / Chapter 4.3. --- The syntactic distributions and grammatical functions of FINISH in HKSL --- p.136 / Chapter 4.4 --- Interaction between Situation Aspect and Viewpoint Aspect in HKSL --- p.144 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- States --- p.144 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Activities --- p.147 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Semelfactives --- p.149 / Chapter 4.4.4 --- Achievements --- p.150 / Chapter 4.4.5 --- Accomplishments --- p.152 / Chapter 4.5 --- Meaning of the perfective marker FINSIH in HKSL --- p.157 / Chapter 4.6 --- Chapter summary --- p.165 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Suggestions for Future Research --- p.166 / Appendix 1 Tables and Figures / Appendix 2 Example of pictures and comic strips for experiment1 / Appendix 3 Transcription of natural conversation of Experiment2 / Appendix 4 Illustrations / Bibliography

Yim-Binh, Sze. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 225-235). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgement / Abstract / Table of Contents / List of Tables / Chapter Chapter 1 --- : Introduction Page / Chapter (1.1) --- Research questions --- p.1 / Chapter (1.1.1) --- Space and spoken languages --- p.1 / Chapter (1.1.2) --- Space and sign languages --- p.4 / Chapter (1.1.3) --- Nominals in Hong Kong Sign Language --- p.8 / Chapter (1.1.4) --- Research focus: interaction of space and nominals --- p.11 / Chapter (1.2) --- Thesis outline --- p.12 / Chapter (1.3) --- A brief note on the transcription convention --- p.13 / Chapter (1.4) --- Sociolinguistic background of Hong Kong Sign Language --- p.15 / Chapter (1.5) --- Documentation of Hong Kong Sign Language and Chinese Sign Language --- p.17 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Space and Grammatical Relations / Chapter (2.0) --- Introduction --- p.21 / Chapter (2.1) --- On the grammatical relations 'subject' and 'object' --- p.21 / Chapter (2.2) --- Literature review --- p.28 / Chapter (2.2.1) --- Grammatical relations in American Sign Language (ASL) --- p.28 / Chapter (2.2.2) --- Grammatical relations in Chinese Sign Language (CSL) --- p.35 / Chapter (2.3) --- Experiment 1: Picture description and selection task --- p.36 / Chapter (2.4) --- Results: --- p.39 / Chapter (2.4.1) --- Non-reversible sentences --- p.39 / Chapter (2.4.2) --- Reversible sentences --- p.52 / Chapter (2.4.2.1) --- Linear representation: S V O --- p.52 / Chapter (2.4.2.2) --- "Spatial representation: the use of loci, inflecting verbs and classifiers" --- p.54 / Chapter (2.4.2.3) --- Reversible and non-reversible data: a further discussion --- p.64 / Chapter (2.4.3) --- An extension to dative constructions --- p.71 / Chapter (2.5) --- Chapter summary --- p.77 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Space and NP Referential Properties / Chapter (3.0) --- Introduction --- p.78 / Chapter (3.1) --- On the various referential properties --- p.78 / Chapter (3.2) --- Realization of referential properties in spoken and sign languages --- p.79 / Chapter (3.3) --- Specific NPs: indefinites and definites --- p.89 / Chapter (3.3.1) --- Experiment 2: picture story description and picture reordering --- p.89 / Chapter (3.3.2) --- NPs in subject positions --- p.90 / Chapter (3.3.2.1) --- Specific indefinites --- p.91 / Chapter (3.3.2.2) --- Specific definites --- p.96 / Chapter (3.3.3) --- NPs in object positions: specific indefinites and definites --- p.106 / Chapter (3.4) --- Non-specific indefinites and generics --- p.118 / Chapter (3.5) --- Chapter summary --- p.121 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- Space and Referential Loci --- p.123 / Chapter (4.0) --- Introduction --- p.123 / Chapter (4.1) --- Literature review --- p.1 24 / Chapter (4.1.1) --- Frame of reference in sign languages --- p.1 24 / Chapter (4.1.2) --- Nature of space and loci --- p.129 / Chapter (4.1.3) --- Shift of loci/ frame of reference --- p.133 / Chapter (4.2) --- Observation of Hong Kong Sign Language --- p.138 / Chapter (4.2.1) --- Localization of referents in narrative discourse --- p.138 / Chapter (4.2.2) --- Shift of loci / frame of reference in HKSL --- p.150 / Chapter (4.2.2.1) --- Role-play/ locus shift in HKSL --- p.150 / Chapter (4.2.2.2) --- Three more types of locus shift --- p.153 / Chapter (a) --- Loci contrast exaggeration --- p.153 / Chapter (b) --- Shifted focalization --- p.157 / Chapter (c) --- Token-surrogate alternation --- p.162 / Chapter (4.3) --- Chapter summary --- p.170 / Chapter Chapter 5: --- Suggestions for Future Research --- p.171 / Appendix 1: Notation conventions --- p.176 / Appendix 2: Picture stimuli for experiment1 --- p.179 / "Appendix 3: Topic, Comment and Topicalization in HKSL" --- p.181 / Appendix 4: Picture stimuli for experiment2 --- p.190 / Appendix 5: Illustrations --- p.203 / References --- p.225