Home On the mirative marker leh 4 in Taiwanese Southern Min
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

On the mirative marker leh 4 in Taiwanese Southern Min

  • Miao-Ling Hsieh
View more publications by John Benjamins Publishing Company
To Publisher Page
New Explorations in Chinese Theoretical Syntax
This chapter is in the book New Explorations in Chinese Theoretical Syntax

Abstract

This paper shows that the sentence final leh4 咧 with an actual pronunciation of a low third tone can independently mark mirativity from either the speaker’s or the addressee’s perspective. The range of mirative meanings that the mirative leh4 咧 expresses include (a) sudden discovery, sudden revelation or realization on the part of the speaker, (b) new and surprising information for the speaker/addressee, (c) counterexpectation to the speaker/addressee. By contrast, ‘new information to the addressee’ is conveyed by either the higher fourth tone leh4 咧 or neh4 呢, which indicates the worthiness of new information and calls it to the addressee’s attention. Syntactically, I propose that the mirative leh4 咧 is projected higher than an evidential projection.

Abstract

This paper shows that the sentence final leh4 咧 with an actual pronunciation of a low third tone can independently mark mirativity from either the speaker’s or the addressee’s perspective. The range of mirative meanings that the mirative leh4 咧 expresses include (a) sudden discovery, sudden revelation or realization on the part of the speaker, (b) new and surprising information for the speaker/addressee, (c) counterexpectation to the speaker/addressee. By contrast, ‘new information to the addressee’ is conveyed by either the higher fourth tone leh4 咧 or neh4 呢, which indicates the worthiness of new information and calls it to the addressee’s attention. Syntactically, I propose that the mirative leh4 咧 is projected higher than an evidential projection.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. The structure of lexical and functional projections
  5. Finiteness, opacity, and Chinese clausal architecture 17
  6. Place and distance 77
  7. “Descriptive complements” are manner adverbials 111
  8. SVCs in disguise 133
  9. Part II. Modal verb syntax
  10. Modal movement licensed by focus 165
  11. Negative modals and prohibitives in Taiwanese Southern Min 193
  12. Part III. Syntax-semantics interactions
  13. Skolemized topicality for indefinites and universal quantifier mei -phrases in Chinese 219
  14. Chinese comparatives 249
  15. Head dependency and degree words in Mandarin 293
  16. Constraints on the representation of anaphoric definiteness in Mandarin Chinese 301
  17. Noncanonical arguments via the high applicative 331
  18. Applied objects in Mandarin and the nature of selection 357
  19. On the syntax of incompleteness 395
  20. Part IV. The syntax and interpretation of particles
  21. On the syntax of mirativity 431
  22. On the mirative marker leh 4 in Taiwanese Southern Min 445
  23. Non-veridical kaN in Taiwanese Southern Min 479
  24. Sentence-internal discourse particles in Mandarin Chinese 509
  25. Part V. Acquisition of syntactic structures
  26. V- gei vs. double object construction 539
  27. Predicting the unpredictable 555
  28. Index 575
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.272.16hsi

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. The structure of lexical and functional projections
  5. Finiteness, opacity, and Chinese clausal architecture 17
  6. Place and distance 77
  7. “Descriptive complements” are manner adverbials 111
  8. SVCs in disguise 133
  9. Part II. Modal verb syntax
  10. Modal movement licensed by focus 165
  11. Negative modals and prohibitives in Taiwanese Southern Min 193
  12. Part III. Syntax-semantics interactions
  13. Skolemized topicality for indefinites and universal quantifier mei -phrases in Chinese 219
  14. Chinese comparatives 249
  15. Head dependency and degree words in Mandarin 293
  16. Constraints on the representation of anaphoric definiteness in Mandarin Chinese 301
  17. Noncanonical arguments via the high applicative 331
  18. Applied objects in Mandarin and the nature of selection 357
  19. On the syntax of incompleteness 395
  20. Part IV. The syntax and interpretation of particles
  21. On the syntax of mirativity 431
  22. On the mirative marker leh 4 in Taiwanese Southern Min 445
  23. Non-veridical kaN in Taiwanese Southern Min 479
  24. Sentence-internal discourse particles in Mandarin Chinese 509
  25. Part V. Acquisition of syntactic structures
  26. V- gei vs. double object construction 539
  27. Predicting the unpredictable 555
  28. Index 575
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 28.10.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/la.272.16hsi/pdf?licenseType=restricted&srsltid=AfmBOopFhaVvXshuEjHFENOUZGYkvKnEYnAErSy3fQvsp6wiLKfBCTzh
Scroll to top button