The characteristic features of Chinese Syntax 中文句法特点.doc

The characteristic features of Chinese Syntax 中文句法特點 1. Topic oriented vs subject oriented languages What is topic: It is what the sentence is about. (Ramsey) 這消息我知道了。 Zhè xiāoxi wǒ zhǐdào le. This news I know PFV 新的北京週報你買了沒有？ Xīnde Běijīng Zhōubào nǐ mǎi le méiyǒu? New Beijing Review you buy PRF NEG 這個地方可以跳舞。 Zhè ge dìfāng kěyǐ tiàowǔ. This place may dance 大學現在多半是男女合校。 Dàxué xiànzài duōbàn shì nán nǚ hé xiào. University now mostly is male female together school 北京從三月到五月是春天。 Běijīng cóng sān yuè dào wǔ yuè shì chūntiān. Beijing from March to May is Spring 那兩個人，一個姓張，一個姓李。 Nà liǎng ge rén, yī ge xìng Zhāng, yī ge xìng Lǐ. that two person, one MW surname Zhang, one MW surname Li 2. Ellipsis (topic deletion in context) (他)還沒來？ (Tā) hái méi lái? (He has) not come yet? () (Nǐ chī shénme?) (What are your eating?) 我是冰淇淋。 Wǒ shì bīngqílín. I am ice-cream. () Zhè ge nǚrén de zhàngfu shì Měiguó rén. This woman’s husband is American. 她也是美國丈夫。 Tā yě shì Měiguó zhàngfu. She is also an American husband. 3. No tense, but aspect is marked Perfective Aspect marker 了：A bounded event (Li and Thmpson, 1981) Verbal aspect suffix –le expresses perfectivity, that is, it indicates that an event is being viewed in its entirety or as a whole. An event is viewed in its entirety if it is bounded temporarily, spatially, or conceptually. 他畢業了。 Tā bìyè le. he graduate PFV A quantified event: 他睡了三個鐘頭。 Tā shuì le sān ge zhōngtóu. he sleep PFV three MW hour 我見到了她。 Wǒ jiàn dào le tā. I see PFV her 他去年死了。 Tā qùnián sǐ le. he last year die PFV LE: Imminent action 他快來了。 Tā kuài lái le. he soon come LE LE: Change of status 雨不下了。 Yǔ bú xià le. rain not descend LE LE: Sentence-end particle 我們走了。 Wǒmen zǒu le. we leave LE. Durative (Progressive) 在 and 著 Only “activity” verbs can take 在 to indicate the durative aspect. 张三在解释文法。 Zhāng Sān zài jiěshì wénǎ Zhang San DUR explain grammar An activity verb that signals a state associated with is activity meaning takes 著 as the durative aspect marker. 他在屋子里坐著。 T