Noun-modifying clause constructions in Sino-Tibetan languages
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Randy J. LaPolla
Abstract
After a short background introduction on Sino-Tibetan noun modifying clause constructions generally, this paper demonstrates, using naturally occurring data, that the Mandarin pre-head noun-modifying clausal construction is grammatically unlike a relative clause construction, as normally conceived, even though it can be used to restrict the identification of the referent of the head noun, but is grammatically a noun-noun compound, and, like noun compounds, exhibits grammatically unrestricted association between the head and the modifier. The pragmatics of how the relation between the modifier and the head is understood is also briefly discussed.
Abstract
After a short background introduction on Sino-Tibetan noun modifying clause constructions generally, this paper demonstrates, using naturally occurring data, that the Mandarin pre-head noun-modifying clausal construction is grammatically unlike a relative clause construction, as normally conceived, even though it can be used to restrict the identification of the referent of the head noun, but is grammatically a noun-noun compound, and, like noun compounds, exhibits grammatically unrestricted association between the head and the modifier. The pragmatics of how the relation between the modifier and the head is understood is also briefly discussed.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface 1
- Noun-modifying clause constructions in languages of Eurasia 3
- General noun-modifying clause constructions in Japanese 23
- The attributive versus final distinction and the manifestation of “main clause phenomena” in Japanese and Korean noun modifying clause constructions 45
- Noun-modifying constructions in Korean 59
- Noun-modifying clause constructions in Sino-Tibetan languages 91
- Noun-modifying clauses in Cantonese 105
- General noun-modifying clause constructions in Hinuq and Bezhta, with a note on other Daghestanian languages 121
- The general noun-modifying clause construction in Tundra Nenets and its possible origin 147
- Noun-modifying constructions and relativization in the central and western Caucasus 179
- Noun-modifying clause constructions in Ainu 203
- Turkish and Turkic complex noun phrase constructions 251
- Noun-modifying constructions in Marathi 293
- Conclusion 331
- Examples to explore in noun-modifying constructions 339
- Relative clauses and noun-modifying clauses in Chantyal 355
- Language index 371
- Name index 373
- Subject index 377
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface 1
- Noun-modifying clause constructions in languages of Eurasia 3
- General noun-modifying clause constructions in Japanese 23
- The attributive versus final distinction and the manifestation of “main clause phenomena” in Japanese and Korean noun modifying clause constructions 45
- Noun-modifying constructions in Korean 59
- Noun-modifying clause constructions in Sino-Tibetan languages 91
- Noun-modifying clauses in Cantonese 105
- General noun-modifying clause constructions in Hinuq and Bezhta, with a note on other Daghestanian languages 121
- The general noun-modifying clause construction in Tundra Nenets and its possible origin 147
- Noun-modifying constructions and relativization in the central and western Caucasus 179
- Noun-modifying clause constructions in Ainu 203
- Turkish and Turkic complex noun phrase constructions 251
- Noun-modifying constructions in Marathi 293
- Conclusion 331
- Examples to explore in noun-modifying constructions 339
- Relative clauses and noun-modifying clauses in Chantyal 355
- Language index 371
- Name index 373
- Subject index 377
