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Article published In: The Grammar of Canonical and Non-canonical Wh-constructions
Edited by C.-T. James Huang
[Concentric 51:2] 2025
► pp. 246–273

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Disjunctions and questions in Mandarin Chinese

 | Ming Chuan University
Published online: 6 November 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/consl.00044.wan
Abstract
This paper observes two disjunction markers in Mandarin Chinese: haishi and huoshi. The aim of this study is to investigate the grammatical distinctions between them. Although both disjunction markers convey logical disjunction meaning or, haishi is primarily associated with interrogative contexts, such as alternative questions, and encodes exclusivity, whereas huoshi is primarily found in declarative sentences, allowing inclusive interpretations. Consequently, I propose that haishi functions as an exclusive disjunction marker, imposing mutual exclusivity on alternatives, while huoshi serves as an inclusive disjunction marker, allowing overlap among alternatives. This proposal thus provides a systematic analysis that accounts for their patterns of interchangeability and non-interchangeability by examining their distributions in the following linguistic environments: alternative and polar questions, embedded clauses of know-predicate, cleft constructions, and downward-entailing contexts.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Lin (2008): NPI analysis
    • 2.2Erlewine (2025): Two layers of alternative semantics
    • 2.3Summary of the problems
  • 3.Proposal: Exclusive and inclusive
    • 3.1Exclusive haishi
      • 3.1.1Alternative questions
      • 3.1.2Exclusive haishi and exhaustivity
    • 3.2Inclusive huoshi
    • 3.3Why interchangeable?
  • 4.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • List of abbreviations
  • References
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