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In:New Insights into Theoretical Syntax from Asian Languages: Studies in honor of C.-T. James Huang
Edited by Andrew Simpson
[Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today 290] 2026
► pp. 230–259

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Revisiting the syntax and interpretation of Vietnamese được

 | University of Southern California
 | University of Southern California
Published online: 15 January 2026
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.290.09sim
Abstract
The syntactic analysis of the element được in Vietnamese presents an interesting puzzle due to được’s odd position and varied contribution to interpretation. In many occurrences, được has the interpretation of a modal verb, but is regularly positioned following the main verb, rather than preceding it, unlike other TAM elements in head-initial Vietnamese. In other instances, được may appear to have an aspectual interpretation. This chapter argues for a uniform analysis of VP-raising in được clauses which informs the general cross-linguistic typology of VP-fronting described in van Urk (2024), connecting SVO Vietnamese with VOS Malagasy and OVS Hixkaryana, where VP-fronting regularly pied pipes VP-internal phrasal constituents. Such a patterning contrasts with VP-fronting in other ‘stranding’ languages analyzed in van Urk (2024) where only the V head of VP is spelled out within raised VPs, with such differences being attributed (by van Urk) to variation in the ranking of two OT constraints: Realize Goal and Contiguity.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Ðược as Asp?
  • 3.The position of objects in sentences with được
  • 4.Re-approaching alternations with được: An analysis
  • 5.Summary and outstanding issues for further research
  • Notes
  • References
References (40)
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