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Article published In: Concentric
Vol. 45:2 (2019) ► pp.167–191

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The obligatory fronting of the undergoer argument in the Mandarin Excessive serial verb construction

 | Fujian University of Technology
 | Newcastle University
Published online: 1 November 2019
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https://doi.org/10.1075/consl.00007.fan
Abstract
This paper discusses the unmarked obligatory fronting of the undergoer argument in the Excessive serial verb construction (hereafter SVC) in Mandarin Chinese. Acknowledging the existing description of the semantic-syntactic characteristics of the Excessive SVC (see for example, Li, Xiaorong. 1994. Dui shujieshi dai binyu gongneng de kaocha [An Investigation into RVC’s capacity of taking object]. Hanyu Xuexi 51:32–38.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar, Shen, Yang, and Guo-zhen Peng. 2010. Jieguo pianliyi “VA le” jiegou de jufa he yuyi fenxi [The syntactic and semantic analysis of the excessive resultative “VA le” in Chinese]. Hanyu Xuexi 2010.5:3–10.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar, Zhang, Yichun. 2014. “Qianzhi shoushi + VA le” geshi de yuyi peizhi he yuyi tezheng [The semantic disposition and semantic features of “pre-patient + VA le”]. Hanyu Xuexi 2014.3:28–32.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar, . 2017. Excessive serial verb construction: A quasi-resultative serial verb construction in Mandarin Chinese. Language and Linguistics 18.2:201–227. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar), we provide an explicit monoclausal account for the phenomenon of obligatory fronting of the undergoer argument, arguing that it directly correlates with the monoclausal structure. By doing so, we contrast our analysis with the existing analysis by . 2017. Excessive serial verb construction: A quasi-resultative serial verb construction in Mandarin Chinese. Language and Linguistics 18.2:201–227. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar. Furthermore, we argue that despite the flexible ordering of the actor and the undergoer arguments at the similar surface forms of the Excessive SVC, they take different positions in expressions that are in different sequences. In this case, the undergoer argument is always the subject; the actor argument functions as an external topic when it occurs before the undergoer argument and it shows similarities to an inner topic when it occurs after the undergoer argument. Nevertheless, unlike with inner topics, the actor argument that occurs after the subject of the Excessive SVC is restricted to the actor/causer role.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Argument coindexation in the Excessive SVC
  • 3.The obligatory fronting of the undergoer argument
  • 4.The function of the undergoer argument
    • 4.1The fronted undergoer argument as subject
    • 4.2The pre-undergoer actor as an external topic
    • 4.3The position of the post-undergoer actor argument
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
References (43)
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