Speaker: Cater Chen
Title: Split Partitivity in Mandarin
Time: Tuesday, March 19, 1pm-2pm
Location: 32-D461
Abstract: In Mandarin (Chinese), a numeral classifier (henceforth NCL) fragment can be interpreted as a partitive expression relative to a definite DP antecedent in various constructions, a phenomenon I refer to as split partitivity (henceforth SP). In the first part of this talk, I will argue for a stranding approach to SP. That is, the NCL fragment is analyzed as a stranded element in the course of movement of its nominal associate, therefore, it can be used to identify a movement trace of its nominal associate.
In Mandarin (Chinese), a numeral classifier (henceforth NCL) fragment can be interpreted as a partitive expression relative to a definite DP antecedent in various constructions, a phenomenon I refer to as split partitivity (henceforth SP). In the first part of this talk, I will argue for a stranding approach to SP. That is, the NCL fragment is analyzed as a stranded element in the course of movement of its nominal associate, therefore, it can be used to identify a movement trace of its nominal associate.
(1) NCL fragment identifies A-traces
a. [Na-liu-ge xuesheng]i [WollP hui you [vP [NCLP san-ge ti] lianxi Zhangsan]].
Dem-6-CL student will exist 3-CL contact Zhangsan
Lit. ‘Those six students will three (of them) contact Zhangsan.’
b. Na-liu-ge xuesheng [VP lai-le san-ge].
Dem-6-CL student come-Perf 3-CL
‘Three of those six students came.’
Lit. ‘Those six students came three (of them).’
(2) NCL fragment identifies Ā-traces
a. [Na-liu-ge xuesheng]i (a), you [NCLP san-ge ti] renshi Zhangsan.
Dem-6-CL student Top exist 3-CL know Zhangsan
‘Those six students, three (of them) know Zhangsan.’
b. [Na-liu-ge xuesheng]i (a), Zhangsan renshi [NCLP san-ge ti].
Dem-6-CL student Top Zhangsan know 3-CL
‘Those six students, Zhangsan knows three (of them).’
In the second part of this talk, I will show that, having justified a stranding approach to SP, we can use SP as a tool to study various constructions in Mandarin that involve argument-gap dependencies. In particular, passive constructions in Mandarin have been analyzed as involving raising, control or null operator movement and predication. I propose that SP can shed light on the right analysis, because different patterns of SP can diagnose different types of argument-gap dependencies.