In:The Development of the Chinese Cleft Construction: A diachronic constructional approach
Fangqiong Zhan
[Constructional Approaches to Language 41] 2026
► pp. 17–37
Chapter 2The Chinese cleft construction
Synchronic and diachronic perspectives
Published online: 5 February 2026
https://doi.org/10.1075/cal.41.c2
https://doi.org/10.1075/cal.41.c2
Article outline
- 2.1The synchronic studies on the Chinese cleft construction
- 2.1.1The structure of the Chinese cleft construction
- 2.1.2The semantics and pragmatics of the Chinese cleft construction
- 2.2The diachronic studies on the Chinese cleft construction
- 2.2.1Previous research on the development of the copula shi
- 2.2.2Previous research on the development of the cleft construction
- 2.3The theoretical framework
- 2.3.1Construction grammar
- 2.3.1.1Cognitive construction grammar
- 2.3.1.2The constructional network
- 2.3.2Diachronic construction grammar
- 2.3.2.1Constructionalization
- 2.3.2.2Constructional changes
- 2.3.2.3A comparison between grammaticalization and constructionalization
- 2.3.2.4Motivation: Analogy and ‘invited inference’
- 2.3.2.5Mechanisms: Neo-analysis and analogization
- 2.3.1Construction grammar
- 2.4Summary
Note
