A long-distance dependency analysis of Mandarin bei-passives in LFG

Date
2009
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Producer
Director
Performer
Choreographer
Costume Designer
Music
Videographer
Lighting Designer
Set Designer
Crew Member
Funder
Rehearsal Director
Concert Coordinator
Moderator
Panelist
Alternative Title
Department
Tri-College (Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Swarthmore Colleges). Department of Linguistics
Type
Thesis
Original Format
Running Time
File Format
Place of Publication
Date Span
Copyright Date
Award
Language
eng
Note
Table of Contents
Terms of Use
Rights Holder
Access Restrictions
Open Access
Tripod URL
Identifier
Abstract
This paper presents an account of bei-passives in Mandarin Chinese within the framework of Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG). I propose treating bei-passives as a type of long-distance dependency (LDD) construction analogous to English tough-type sentences, and discuss the merits of this analysis. Recent research on the topic has generally concluded that “short” and “long” passives have separate derivations (Huang, Li, & Li 2009). Since this account can be challenged upon grounds of desired theoretical simplicity and explanatory adequacy, one desired outcome is a uniform derivation of bei-sentences. The LDD analysis proposed here is able to account for the defining properties of long bei-passives, including unbounded dependencies and resumptive pronouns. I also argue that the unique control structure of “adversative passives” can be explained naturally by an LDD structure. However, certain differences between short passives and long passives cannot be completely accounted for under the present account, and should encourage further inquiry.
Description
Citation