<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>This paper investigates the deontic modal <italic>sai2</italic> in Cantonese. I argue that <italic>sai2</italic> is an NPI and a negative operator is induced at the sentence-initial position by the SFPs <italic>me1</italic> or <italic>aa4</italic> in rhetorical questions. In SAI sentence, <italic>sai2</italic> must syntactically agree with the negative operator for licensing, and minimality and locality effects are found in such agreement. This study may provide evidence of a syntactic approach to NPI licensing and rhetorical questions.</p>
</abstract>

This paper investigates the deontic modal sai2 in Cantonese. I argue that sai2 is an NPI and a negative operator is induced at the sentence-initial position by the SFPs me1 or aa4 in rhetorical questions. In SAI sentence, sai2 must syntactically agree with the negative operator for licensing, and minimality and locality effects are found in such agreement. This study may provide evidence of a syntactic approach to NPI licensing and rhetorical questions.

Rhetorical Questions and Polarity Licensing: On Cantonese Modal <italic>Sai2</italic>

Studies in Chinese Linguistics

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

Rhetorical Questions and Polarity Licensing: On Cantonese Modal 

This paper investigates the deontic modal sai2 in Cantonese. I argue that sai2 is an NPI and a negative operator is induced at the sentence-initial position by...

Rhetorical Questions and Polarity Licensing: On Cantonese Modal Sai2

Publié en ligne: 07 févr. 2023

Pages: 123 - 142

Reçu: 30 juin 2022

Accepté: 04 nov. 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/scl-2022-0005

Mots clés
Cantonese modals, NPI licensing, minimality, rhetorical questions

© 2022 Tsun Hei Choi, published by Sciendo

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

Rhetorical Questions and Polarity Licensing: On Cantonese Modal Sai2

Publié en ligne: 07 févr. 2023

Pages: 123 - 142

Reçu: 30 juin 2022

Accepté: 04 nov. 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/scl-2022-0005

Mots clésCantonese modals, NPI licensing, minimality, rhetorical questions

© 2022 Tsun Hei Choi, published by Sciendo

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

Mots clés
Cantonese modals, NPI licensing, minimality, rhetorical questions