Syntax of the Bi Comparative Construction in Mandarin Chinese
Syntax of the Bi Comparative Construction in Mandarin Chinese
Syntax of the Bi Comparative Construction in Mandarin Chinese
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<strong>Syntax</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Bi</strong> <strong>Comparative</strong> <strong>Construction</strong> <strong>in</strong> Mandar<strong>in</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese<br />
Also, MC prepositions do not take PPs as <strong>the</strong> complement, but bi does.<br />
(81) a. *Zhangsan dui zai taibei mei yijian<br />
Zhangsan to at Taipei no op<strong>in</strong>ion<br />
b. Zhangsan [PPdui youxi] bi [PPdui shuben] geng youx<strong>in</strong>gqu<br />
Zhangsan to games COM to book more <strong>in</strong>terest<br />
‘Zhangsan is more <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong> games than <strong>in</strong> books.’<br />
Historically bi is a verb, and it also shares some characteristics to <strong>the</strong><br />
prepositions, however, undergo<strong>in</strong>g some neutralization process with time, it lost some<br />
as well. We will try to propose that bi may behave like a complementizer later <strong>in</strong><br />
Section 3.2.4.<br />
3.2.3 bi As a Conjunction<br />
Categorical identity across conjuncts is a characteristic feature <strong>of</strong> coord<strong>in</strong>ate<br />
construction 11 (Chomsky 1957). CC <strong>in</strong>volves two items that are semantically parallel<br />
to be compared; it seems that <strong>the</strong> comparative marker bi behaves similarly to a<br />
conjunction, which coord<strong>in</strong>ate conjuncts <strong>of</strong> different categories (see (82) ~ (84)).<br />
However, even when <strong>the</strong> conjunts are syntactically identical, <strong>the</strong> asymmetry <strong>in</strong><br />
semantics may still cause <strong>the</strong> sentences unacceptable.<br />
11 In <strong>the</strong> coord<strong>in</strong>ation stentences, <strong>the</strong> conjuncts should be parallel both semantically and syntactically.<br />
(i) a. Zhangsan tiaowu you change<br />
Zhangsan dance also s<strong>in</strong>g<br />
‘Zhangsan dance and s<strong>in</strong>g.’<br />
b. * Zhangsan tiaowu you chuben<br />
Zhangsan dance also book<br />
52<br />
中正大學 e-Thesys (94 學年度)
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