<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>This paper analyzes the syntactic properties of the “<italic>ba</italic>-construction” or “disposal form” in Mandarin Chinese under new theoretical frameworks. By introducing the event-decomposition method proposed by <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_scl-2018-0005_ref_027_w2aab3b7b2b1b6b1ab1ac27Aa">Ramchand (2008)</xref>, it argues that the <italic>ba</italic>-construction conveys the causativity and the resultativity of the event at the same time, which can be shown from the syntactic representation. Then, this paper tests the position of <italic>ba</italic>, assuming that it is a functional head, and the result of the test indicates that <italic>ba</italic> is a voice head in the hierarchy of functional projections proposed by <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_scl-2018-0005_ref_008_w2aab3b7b2b1b6b1ab1ab8Aa">Cinque (1999</xref>, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_scl-2018-0005_ref_009_w2aab3b7b2b1b6b1ab1ab9Aa">2006</xref>). The final word order of a <italic>ba</italic>-construction can be derived by the argument movement of the direct object and by a head movement of <italic>ba</italic> or by the merge of <italic>ba</italic> at the head position of the higher functional head of a split VoiceP.</p></abstract>

This paper analyzes the syntactic properties of the “ba-construction” or “disposal form” in Mandarin Chinese under new theoretical frameworks. By introducing the event-decomposition method proposed by Ramchand (2008), it argues that the ba-construction conveys the causativity and the resultativity of the event at the same time, which can be shown from the syntactic representation. Then, this paper tests the position of ba, assuming that it is a functional head, and the result of the test indicates that ba is a voice head in the hierarchy of functional projections proposed by Cinque (1999, 2006). The final word order of a ba-construction can be derived by the argument movement of the direct object and by a head movement of ba or by the merge of ba at the head position of the higher functional head of a split VoiceP.

A Cartographic Analysis of the Syntactic Structure of Mandarin <italic>Ba</italic>

Studies in Chinese Linguistics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

A Cartographic Analysis of the Syntactic Structure of Mandarin 

This paper analyzes the syntactic properties of the “ba-construction” or “disposal form” in Mandarin Chinese under new theoretical frameworks. By introducing...

A Cartographic Analysis of the Syntactic Structure of Mandarin Ba

Published Online: Mar 07, 2019

Page range: 127 - 154

Received: May 30, 2018

Accepted: Nov 22, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/scl-2018-0005

Keywords
-construction, disposal form, cartography of syntax, functional heads

© 2018 Yangyu Sun, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

A Cartographic Analysis of the Syntactic Structure of Mandarin Ba

Published Online: Mar 07, 2019

Page range: 127 - 154

Received: May 30, 2018

Accepted: Nov 22, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/scl-2018-0005

Keywords-construction, disposal form, cartography of syntax, functional heads

© 2018 Yangyu Sun, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
-construction, disposal form, cartography of syntax, functional heads