Syntax of the Bi Comparative Construction in Mandarin Chinese

Syntax of the Bi Comparative Construction in Mandarin Chinese
that phrasal comparatives and clausal comparatives should be distinguished from one
another and cannot be derived in the same process. That is, Phrasal Comparatives are
derived from the DOC-comparatives via the syntactic movement, similar to Larson’s
(1988) analysis of the Double object construction (DOC); on the other hand, the
Clausal Comparatives are derived by bi-clause that are post-cyclically adjoined to the
main clause and subsequently undergo PF-deletion operation.
First of all, base on the phenomenon that DOC-comparatives such as (58a) has
corresponding forms in Phrasal Comparatives like (58b); Chao analogies the
DOC-comparatives to Larson’s (1988) analysis of the Double object construction
(DOC). To study DOCs, Larson (1988) proposes a VP Shell analysis to the structure
of the double object construction as (60). Sentence (59b) has undergone a dative shift
operation so as to get (59a). When the indirect object Mary is moved forwardly, the
verb sent looses its inherent case to the direct object Mary so the preposition to is
deleted. The direct object a letter is dethermatized as an adjunct, and adjoined to the
V’ in VP2. The verb sent is moved to the head position of VP1 and assign case to Mary
in VP2, then we can get (60b).
(59) a. John sent a letter to Mary.
b. John sent Mary a letter.
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中正大學 e-Thesys (94 學年度)