Applied objects in Mandarin and the nature of selection
- 
            
            
        Richard K. Larson
        
 und Chong Zhang 
Abstract
This article examines a range of data involving non-canonical objects in Mandarin mono- and di-transitive sentences. It argues that these represent applied object constructions, in which an oblique argument is “promoted” to the status of a direct object. The core theoretical apparatus employed is that of Larson (2014), which recasts θ-roles as formal syntactic θ-features and θ-role assignment as θ-feature agreement and provides a general account of structure projection and argument inversions like those involved with applied objects. We show that this approach can bring together a wide range of constructions in Mandarin. We conclude with a discussion of these results for the broader understanding of selection. Mandarin non-canonical objects strongly suggest a purely syntactic approach to selection, rather than the semantic approach which is more typically assumed.
Abstract
This article examines a range of data involving non-canonical objects in Mandarin mono- and di-transitive sentences. It argues that these represent applied object constructions, in which an oblique argument is “promoted” to the status of a direct object. The core theoretical apparatus employed is that of Larson (2014), which recasts θ-roles as formal syntactic θ-features and θ-role assignment as θ-feature agreement and provides a general account of structure projection and argument inversions like those involved with applied objects. We show that this approach can bring together a wide range of constructions in Mandarin. We conclude with a discussion of these results for the broader understanding of selection. Mandarin non-canonical objects strongly suggest a purely syntactic approach to selection, rather than the semantic approach which is more typically assumed.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
 - Table of contents v
 - Introduction 1
 - 
                            Part I. The structure of lexical and functional projections
 - Finiteness, opacity, and Chinese clausal architecture 17
 - Place and distance 77
 - “Descriptive complements” are manner adverbials 111
 - SVCs in disguise 133
 - 
                            Part II. Modal verb syntax
 - Modal movement licensed by focus 165
 - Negative modals and prohibitives in Taiwanese Southern Min 193
 - 
                            Part III. Syntax-semantics interactions
 - Skolemized topicality for indefinites and universal quantifier mei -phrases in Chinese 219
 - Chinese comparatives 249
 - Head dependency and degree words in Mandarin 293
 - Constraints on the representation of anaphoric definiteness in Mandarin Chinese 301
 - Noncanonical arguments via the high applicative 331
 - Applied objects in Mandarin and the nature of selection 357
 - On the syntax of incompleteness 395
 - 
                            Part IV. The syntax and interpretation of particles
 - On the syntax of mirativity 431
 - On the mirative marker leh 4 in Taiwanese Southern Min 445
 - Non-veridical kaN in Taiwanese Southern Min 479
 - Sentence-internal discourse particles in Mandarin Chinese 509
 - 
                            Part V. Acquisition of syntactic structures
 - V- gei vs. double object construction 539
 - Predicting the unpredictable 555
 - Index 575
 
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
 - Table of contents v
 - Introduction 1
 - 
                            Part I. The structure of lexical and functional projections
 - Finiteness, opacity, and Chinese clausal architecture 17
 - Place and distance 77
 - “Descriptive complements” are manner adverbials 111
 - SVCs in disguise 133
 - 
                            Part II. Modal verb syntax
 - Modal movement licensed by focus 165
 - Negative modals and prohibitives in Taiwanese Southern Min 193
 - 
                            Part III. Syntax-semantics interactions
 - Skolemized topicality for indefinites and universal quantifier mei -phrases in Chinese 219
 - Chinese comparatives 249
 - Head dependency and degree words in Mandarin 293
 - Constraints on the representation of anaphoric definiteness in Mandarin Chinese 301
 - Noncanonical arguments via the high applicative 331
 - Applied objects in Mandarin and the nature of selection 357
 - On the syntax of incompleteness 395
 - 
                            Part IV. The syntax and interpretation of particles
 - On the syntax of mirativity 431
 - On the mirative marker leh 4 in Taiwanese Southern Min 445
 - Non-veridical kaN in Taiwanese Southern Min 479
 - Sentence-internal discourse particles in Mandarin Chinese 509
 - 
                            Part V. Acquisition of syntactic structures
 - V- gei vs. double object construction 539
 - Predicting the unpredictable 555
 - Index 575