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Object noun phrase dislocation in Mandarin Chinese

This dissertation studies leftward dislocation of object Noun Phrases in Mandarin Chinese
within the framework of Government and Binding theory. Although the canonical word order
in Chinese is S(ubject)-V(erb)-O(bject), it also exhibits OSV and SOV word orders. After an
introduction in Ch. 1, I discuss OSV constructions in Ch.2. I argue that the S-initial object NP
is moved there, since its association with a gap in the canonical object position obeys the
subjacency condition. Based on several diagnostic tests, I propose that Chinese has two kinds
of short-distance NP fronting: one is A’-movement and the other is A-movement. Adopting the
Split Infl Hypothesis, I postulate a fully articulated clause structure for Chinese. In particular,
I propose that the fronted NP in A-movement lands in [Spec AgrOP] as a kind of overt raising,
while the one in A’-movement further leaves that spec position and is CP-adjoined. I also
examine long-distance NP fronting, showing that it is invariably A’-movement.
In Ch. 3, I investigate object shift, which yields SOV constructions. I argue that this
syntactic process represents a type of A-movement, not A’-movement as concluded in previous
studies. Specifically, I propose that the subject NP and the object NP in this construction overtly
raise to [Spec AgrSP] and [Spec AgrOP] respectively.
In Ch.4, I examine the interactions between an object wh-NP and dou, the adverb of
universal quantification. I propose that wh-phrases, like indefinites, can be either
presuppositional or existential. If they are within VP (i.e. remain postverbal), they are subject
to existential closure and get an existential/interrogative reading. If, however, they are outside
VP (i.e. shifted to the left of dou), they define the range of the quantifier dou and obtain the
presuppositional/universal reading. The conclusion is that there is a strict correlation between
the S-structure positions of the wh-phrase and its interpretations. The exhaustive list reading of
the in-situ wh-object associated with the interrogative reading is derived from the fact that it is
in the scope of dou at S-structure.
In Ch. 5, I summarize the major findings of this dissertation and raise several issues for
future research. / Arts, Faculty of / Linguistics, Department of / Graduate

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:UBC/oai:circle.library.ubc.ca:2429/8955
Date05 1900
CreatorsQu, Yanfeng
Source SetsUniversity of British Columbia
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeText, Thesis/Dissertation
Format5085478 bytes, application/pdf
RightsFor non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.

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