Mandarin pseudo why-stripping constructions.
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| Title: | Mandarin pseudo why-stripping constructions. |
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| Authors: | Liu, Chi-Ming Louis1 cmlouisliu@nycu.edu.tw |
| Source: | Journal of East Asian Linguistics. Jun2025, Vol. 34 Issue 2, p287-318. 32p. |
| Subject Terms: | Mandarin dialects, English language, Ellipsis (Grammar) |
| Abstract: | Mandarin pseudo why-stripping constructions differ from why-stripping constructions in English in that some of the focused constituents appearing after the wh-phrase weishenme 'why' need to be immediately preceded by shi, while some others do not. The fact that shi is present in this type of construction seems to suggest that Mandarin pseudo why-stripping constructions are derivationally related to sentence-initial shi sentences. However, this correlation is not supported by empirical data and theoretical considerations. In addition, I argue that unlike their English counterparts, applying the movement and ellipsis approach to Mandarin pseudo why-stripping sentences is not tenable, either. Thus, I propose that they should be analyzed as a sequence of the wh-phrase weishenme 'why', an empty category pro followed by the copular verb or the emphatic marker shi, and the focused constituent. This analysis amounts to saying that Mandarin pseudo why-stripping sentences should be analyzed parallelly to pseudo-sluicing constructions, which is evidenced by the fact that cross-linguistically why-stripping and sluicing constructions in English and Japanese are analyzed in a similar way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Abstract: | Mandarin pseudo why-stripping constructions differ from why-stripping constructions in English in that some of the focused constituents appearing after the wh-phrase weishenme 'why' need to be immediately preceded by shi, while some others do not. The fact that shi is present in this type of construction seems to suggest that Mandarin pseudo why-stripping constructions are derivationally related to sentence-initial shi sentences. However, this correlation is not supported by empirical data and theoretical considerations. In addition, I argue that unlike their English counterparts, applying the movement and ellipsis approach to Mandarin pseudo why-stripping sentences is not tenable, either. Thus, I propose that they should be analyzed as a sequence of the wh-phrase weishenme 'why', an empty category pro followed by the copular verb or the emphatic marker shi, and the focused constituent. This analysis amounts to saying that Mandarin pseudo why-stripping sentences should be analyzed parallelly to pseudo-sluicing constructions, which is evidenced by the fact that cross-linguistically why-stripping and sluicing constructions in English and Japanese are analyzed in a similar way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 09258558 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10831-025-09301-8 |
