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 />
which is <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> proposition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sentence, also <strong>the</strong> antecedent <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> degree<br />
bi-clause. When CD occurs, it needs to be Antecedent Conta<strong>in</strong>ed Deletion (ACD).<br />
That is, <strong>the</strong> elements <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> degree clause, which identical to that <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> antecedent<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>-proposition will be obligatorily deleted. This ACD analysis is more consistent <strong>in</strong><br />
expla<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> different categories <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> compared items <strong>of</strong> different syntactic<br />
categories <strong>in</strong> PF. Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore, semantically, with <strong>the</strong> mark<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> degree<br />
expression geng on <strong>the</strong> matrix proposition, <strong>the</strong> mean<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> comparative is clear, <strong>in</strong><br />
which <strong>the</strong> degree <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> proposition (vP1) marked by geng is more than <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
(vP2), which is <strong>the</strong> comparative basis. Thus, <strong>the</strong> contrast<strong>in</strong>g argument, bi-clause <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
bracket is embedded <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> clause with an omitted empty site for <strong>the</strong> VP, ai ni.<br />
As for those comparative elements with complex sentences, clausal compar<strong>in</strong>g<br />
elements by Hs<strong>in</strong>g (2005) as (124), or adjunctional predicates <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> compared<br />
elements like (125), <strong>the</strong>y can be <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> our clausal analysis without exception.<br />
(124) a. wo chi mian [bi ni chi fan] geng kuai<br />
I eat noodle COM you eat rice more fast<br />
‘I eat noodles faster than you do rice.’<br />
b. wo chi mian geng kuai [bi ni chi fan kuai]<br />
I eat noodle more fast COM you eat rice fast<br />
(125) a. Zhangsan bi Lisi xihuan paobu<br />
Zhangsan COM Lisi like jogg<strong>in</strong>g<br />
‘Zhangsan like jogg<strong>in</strong>g more than Lisi does.’<br />
b. Zhangsan (geng) xihuan paobu [bi Lisi xihuan paobu]<br />
Zhangsan more like jogg<strong>in</strong>g COM Lisi like jogg<strong>in</strong>g<br />
75<br />
中正大學 e-Thesys (94 學年度)
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