Essays on Writing and Language in Honor - Sino-Platonic Papers

Schnftfestschij: &says in Honor of John DeFrmcis
Since a possessed NP is, by definition, only part of the possessor NP, when it becomes the
primary topic, it cannot retain its original meaning without conflicting with the topic scope
interpretation rule. Only when it takes on a generic sense is it compatible with the rule
just mentioned.
Ths interpretation rule aside, what is shared by the secondary topic played by the
possessed NP and that played by a temporal or locative expression in questioil is that both
can be, in a proper context, promoted to become the primary topic. Compare (29) and
(30) with (27).
(29) a. ta. zuotian.
1 J
lai kan wo le,
he yesterday come see me PART
i
hai dai-zhe tait ai yiqi lai.
still take-ASP wife together come
'Speaking of him, yesterday (he) came to see me,(and) (he) brought his
wife with him. '
b. zuotiani shi xingqitian, suoyi i ta
yesterday be Sunday so he
lai kan wo le.
come see me PART
'Yesterday was Sunday, so (yesterday) he came to see me.'
(30) a. ta. zai Meiguo.
1
3
you hen duo shiye,
he in America have very many enterprises
i
you hen da-de yingxiangli .
have very big influence
'Speaking of him, in America (he) has many enterprises, (and) (there)
(he) has a great deal of influence.'
b. zai Meiauoi renren dou dei shou
in America everybody all must abide:by
fa? I ta ye bu liwai.
law he also no exception
1