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<p>In Mandarin, if two-degree wh-question-like clauses are combined, the wh-phrases do not have a question reading. This paper argues that such a paired-wh declarative is an equative comparison construction, like the <italic>as</italic>…<italic>as</italic> equative in English, and the first clause denotes the standard of the comparison. Such declaratives, like a degree comparison construction, are derived by the occurrence of a comparison quantifier, and predicate abstraction applies to each clause. The paired wh-forms are the variables. This research shows that Mandarin does have degree quantificational comparison constructions, and it is possible for both clauses of a comparison construction to have a wh-form.</p>
</abstract>

In Mandarin, if two-degree wh-question-like clauses are combined, the wh-phrases do not have a question reading. This paper argues that such a paired-wh declarative is an equative comparison construction, like the as…as equative in English, and the first clause denotes the standard of the comparison. Such declaratives, like a degree comparison construction, are derived by the occurrence of a comparison quantifier, and predicate abstraction applies to each clause. The paired wh-forms are the variables. This research shows that Mandarin does have degree quantificational comparison constructions, and it is possible for both clauses of a comparison construction to have a wh-form.

Pairing Degree-WH Clauses in Mandarin

Studies in Chinese Linguistics

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

{"article-title":"Pairing Degree-WH Clauses in Mandarin"}

In Mandarin, if two-degree wh-question-like clauses are combined, the wh-phrases do not have a question reading. This paper argues that such a paired-wh...

Pairing Degree-WH Clauses in Mandarin

Published Online: Jan 18, 2022

Page range: 121 - 160

Received: Sep 01, 2020

Accepted: Jul 22, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/scl-2021-0004

Keywords
degree, equative, predicate abstraction, paired degree-variable construction, wh

© 2021 Niina Ning Zhang, published by Sciendo

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

Pairing Degree-WH Clauses in Mandarin

Published Online: Jan 18, 2022

Page range: 121 - 160

Received: Sep 01, 2020

Accepted: Jul 22, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/scl-2021-0004

Keywordsdegree, equative, predicate abstraction, paired degree-variable construction, wh

© 2021 Niina Ning Zhang, published by Sciendo

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

Keywords
degree, equative, predicate abstraction, paired degree-variable construction, wh