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 />
b. [xiangjiao yu Zhangsan], wo hen pang<br />
<strong>in</strong> contrast to Zhangsan I very fat<br />
‘Compare to Zhangsan, I am very fat.’<br />
c. [xiangjiao yu Lisi], wo buhui hen pang<br />
<strong>in</strong> contrast to Lisi I not very fat<br />
‘Compare to Lisi, I am not very fat.’<br />
In (111 ), whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> degree <strong>of</strong> I am fat is relative to some comparative datum which<br />
may be absent <strong>in</strong> it PF. Likewise, BCC that belongs to explicit comparatives are <strong>of</strong><br />
this case, too. As we can see <strong>in</strong> (112), <strong>the</strong> comparative datum is explicit, and <strong>the</strong><br />
degree adverb <strong>of</strong> BCC is geng. The <strong>the</strong> degree head s-selects a comparative bi-clause<br />
to be one <strong>of</strong> its complements. And as we have discussed <strong>in</strong> Section 3.1.2, bi has <strong>the</strong><br />
mean<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> comparison historically, thus <strong>the</strong> comparative degree adverb geng is <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
covert <strong>in</strong> PF.<br />
(112) Explicit <strong>Comparative</strong>s (BCC)<br />
a. wo [CPbi Zhangsan pang] geng pang<br />
I COM Zhangsan fat more fat<br />
‘I am fatter than Zhangsan.’<br />
3.3.2 Co-occurrence Restriction Between bi And geng<br />
Accord<strong>in</strong>g to Li and Thompson (1981), CC <strong>in</strong> Mandar<strong>in</strong> can be divided <strong>in</strong>to three<br />
types. With respect to <strong>the</strong> different degrees <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dimension, one item can be more<br />
than <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r (<strong>the</strong> superior degree), less than <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r (<strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ferior degree), or <strong>the</strong><br />
same as <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r (<strong>the</strong> equal degree). In <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g examples, bi and geng <strong>in</strong> (113a),<br />
mei(you)/buru and name <strong>in</strong> (113b), and also gen and yiyang <strong>in</strong> (113c) have some<br />
66<br />
中正大學 e-Thesys (94 學年度)
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