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Article published In: Asian Languages and Linguistics
Vol. 5:1 (2024) ► pp.34–71

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Exploring absolutive case in reversible sentence structures of Mandarin Chinese
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 | Jiangsu Normal University
Published online: 5 July 2024
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https://doi.org/10.1075/alal.00017.jin
Abstract
This paper examines the absolutive case in Modern Mandarin Chinese sentences with reversible argument structures. In these sentences, the two arguments adjacent to the verb can be interchangeable in syntactic position. Although previous research has provided partial descriptions and analyses of this grammatical phenomenon, there is still no comprehensive and systematic exploration of these reversible sentences. Employing a reductionist methodology, the study meticulously examines the interaction modes between the verb and its arguments in eight types of reversible sentence structures involving the addition or omission of argument roles. This analysis reveals a distinct pattern that highlights the centrality of an ‘absolute argument’ within these sentences. Building on these observations, the paper articulates the fundamental structural patterns of reversible sentences and concludes a unified explanatory framework. This research enriches our understanding of Mandarin Chinese syntax and offers valuable perspectives on the linguistic dynamics underlying reversible sentence construction.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Theoretical background and the problems of previous analyses
  • 3.Analysis and discussion
    • 3.1Materials + patient constructions
    • 3.2Instrument + patient constructions
    • 3.3Agent + VR + patient constructions
    • 3.4Agent + patient constructions
    • 3.5Agent + instrument constructions
    • 3.6Instrument + material constructions
    • 3.7Quantity NP + quantity NP constructions
    • 3.8Place + existence (Agent/Patient/Result) structure
  • 4.Summary
  • Notes
  • References
References (35)
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