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In:Introducing Chinese Linguistics: A handbook for Chinese language teachers and learners
Hang Zhang and Lan Zhang
[Studies in Chinese Language and Discourse 16] 2022
► pp. v–x

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Published online: 14 December 2022

https://doi.org/10.1075/scld.16.toc

Table of contents

List of abbreviationsix

Prefacexiii

Structure of the bookxiii

Readershipxiv

To the Chinese language teacherxv

To the Chinese language studentxvi

To the Chinese linguistics teacherxvi

Acknowledgementsxix

Chapter 1.Introduction to linguistics and Chinese language1

1.1Basic concepts of general linguistics1

1.1.1What is language1

1.1.2What is linguistics5

1.1.2.1Some basic distinctions in linguistics5

1.1.2.2The scope of linguistics6

1.2Second language acquisition7

1.2.1Linguistics and language teaching7

1.2.2Interlanguage8

1.2.3First language transfer9

1.2.4L2 developmental errors10

1.2.5Universal constraints and individual differences10

1.3The Chinese language and dialects11

1.3.1The terms12

1.3.2The seven major dialects13

1.3.2.1Mandarin (Northern dialects)14

1.3.2.2Southern dialects15

1.3.3Lingua franca16

1.4The creation of the Mandarin Standard Chinese17

Further readings21

Exercises21

Chapter 2.Phonetics and phonology (I): Segmental features25

2.1Basic concepts of phonetics and phonology26

2.2Chinese syllables and segmental phonemes27

2.2.1Initials29

2.2.2Finals31

2.2.2.1Medial and the sìhū (四呼) classification system32

2.2.2.2Main vowels34

2.2.2.3Syllabic terminals35

2.2.2.4Rhotacization36

2.2.3Discrepancies between Pinyin spelling and pronunciation37

2.2.4English-Chinese transliteration38

2.3A historical view of Chinese sound annotation systems40

2.3.1fănqiè (反切)40

2.3.2zhùyīn zìmŭ/fúhào (注音字母/符号)40

2.3.3Wade-giles system (威妥玛拼音)41

2.3.4National romanization (Gwoyeu Romatzyh 国语罗马字)42

2.3.5hànyŭ Pīnyīn (汉语拼音)43

2.4Second language acquisition of Chinese segments44

2.4.1L2 acquisition of vowels44

2.4.2L2 acquisition of consonants45

2.4.3Use of sound annotation systems in L2 acquisition of Mandarin pronunciation46

Further reading47

Exercises48

Chapter 3.Phonetics and phonology (II): Suprasegmental features55

3.1Introduction55

3.1.1What is a tone language?55

3.1.2Pitch56

3.2Four Chinese phonemic tones: Citation Form57

3.2.1Phonetic properties and phonological representations of four tones57

3.2.2Neutral tone59

3.3Tones in context: Tone variations in connected speech60

3.3.1The variants of Tone 3 and the tone 3 Sandhi61

3.3.1.1The Short-T3 and Long-T361

3.3.1.2The T3 Sandhi63

3.3.2Required Tone Sandhi: yī (一) and bù (不)67

3.3.3Other tone-change processes67

3.4Stress and intonation in Mandarin Chinese69

3.4.1Word-level stress69

3.4.2Sentence-level stress and sentence-final intonation69

3.4.2.1Contrastive stress in sentences70

3.4.2.2Unstress Chinese syllables71

3.4.2.3Sentence final intonation patterns71

3.5The acquisition of Mandarin Chinese tones72

3.5.1Second language perception of Mandarin tones73

3.5.2Four common difficulties in L2 tone production74

3.5.2.1Issues related to the pitch range74

3.5.2.2The Tone 375

3.5.2.3The tone pairs76

3.5.2.4The production of Tone 2 in sequences T2-T1 and T2-T477

3.5.3General pedagogical suggestions on L2 Chinese prosody training78

Further readings80

Exercises81

Chapter 4.Chinese morphology87

4.1Basic concepts in morphology87

4.1.1Knowledge of words87

4.1.2Morphemes: The minimal units of meaning88

4.2Morphological process: Compounding90

4.2.1Common types of compounds92

4.2.2Difficulties in learning Verb-Object compounds96

4.2.2.1Taking a direct object97

4.2.2.2Separation of V-O constituents100

4.3Morphological process: Affixation101

4.3.1Derivational affixes102

4.3.1.1Prefixes102

4.3.1.2Infixes103

4.3.1.3Suffixes104

4.3.2Inflection-like morphemes106

4.4Morphological process: Reduplication109

4.4.1Reduplication of volitional verbs109

4.4.2Reduplication of adjectives110

4.4.3Reduplication of measure words (Classifiers) and kinship terms112

4.5Second language acquisition of Chinese vocabulary113

4.5.1Approaches of L2 vocabulary development114

4.5.1.1Aspects of vocabulary for L2 acquisition114

4.5.1.2Several issues in the L2 Chinese vocabulary development116

4.5.2Teaching Chinese vocabulary118

4.5.3Learning strategies of vocabulary119

Further readings121

Exercises122

Chapter 5.Chinese syntax I129

5.1Lexical categories, linear order, and constituency129

5.2Chinese noun phrase134

5.2.1Classifiers and Mass vs. Count134

5.2.2Definiteness and referentiality136

5.2.3Nominal modifiers138

5.3Chinese verb phrase143

5.3.1Post-verbal constituents143

5.3.1.1Objects and transitivity of verbs143

5.3.1.2V-de structure146

5.3.1.3Frequency and duration phrases147

5.3.1.4Locative and directional phrases following certain verbs150

5.3.2Pre-verbal constituents152

5.3.2.1Manner and negation adverbs, and adverbs expressing a speaker’s judgement152

5.3.2.2Modals156

5.3.2.3Prepositional phrases157

5.3.3Aspect markers158

5.3.3.1Perfective aspect marker -le 了160

5.3.3.2Experiential aspect marker -guò 过162

5.3.3.3Progressive aspect marker zài 在163

5.3.3.4Durative aspect marker -zhe 着164

5.4Acquisition of Chinese noun phrases, verb complements and aspect marker -le 了166

5.4.1Acquisition of Chinese noun phrases166

5.4.1.1Acquisition of Chinese classifiers167

5.4.1.2Acquisition of Chinese relative clauses168

5.4.2Acquisition of verb complements169

5.4.3Acquisition of aspect marker -le 了171

Further readings173

Exercises173

Chapter 6.Chinese syntax II179

6.1Sentence types179

6.1.1Declarative sentences179

6.1.1.1Subject, predicate, topic and comment179

6.1.1.2Sentence final particles in declarative sentences184

6.1.2Interrogative sentences187

6.1.3Imperative sentences190

6.1.4Complex and compound sentences192

6.2Serial verb constructions194

6.2.1Type one: Simultaneous or consecutive actions194

6.2.2Type two: Causative construction195

6.3Verb copying construction197

6.4The bǎ 把 construction201

6.4.1Characteristics of the NPs following bǎ 把202

6.4.2Characteristics of the VPs in the bǎ 把 construction204

6.4.3Discourse function of the bǎ 把 construction205

6.5The bèi 被 passive construction207

6.6Acquisition of the Chinese bǎ 把 and bèi 被 constructions209

6.6.1Acquisition of the bǎ 把 construction209

6.6.2Acquisition of the bèi 被 passive construction211

Further readings212

Exercises213

Chapter 7.Chinese writing system217

7.1History of Chinese script217

7.2Formation of Chinese characters219

7.3Strokes, components and radicals of Chinese characters223

7.4Chinese script reforms226

7.5Learning and teaching of Chinese characters228

7.5.1Structural awareness in character learning228

7.5.2Learners’ strategies229

7.5.3Pedagogical implications230

7.5.4Handwriting and Pinyin-typing231

Further reading232

Exercises233

Chapter 8.Chinese language in its social context237

8.1Introduction to Chinese pragmatics237

8.1.1Context and direct/indirect speech acts237

8.1.2Speech acts in Chinese239

8.1.2.1Expressing gratitude239

8.1.2.2Making requests241

8.1.2.3Making apologies243

8.2Chinese language variation246

8.2.1Introduction to Chinese language variation246

8.2.2Gender and Chinese language247

8.2.2.1Gender differentiation in Chinese language247

8.2.2.2Gender differences in Chinese language use247

8.3Chinese Language contact249

8.4Chinese Internet language251

8.4.1Chinese internet lexicon253

8.4.2Features of Chinese Internet language255

8.5Chinese pragmatics acquisition and second language socialization256

8.5.1Factors affecting the acquisition of Chinese pragmatic skills257

8.5.2Research of Chinese socialization by learners259

8.5.3Pedagogical implications260

Further reading261

Exercises261

References265

Index277