動詞懸置刪略結構之比較研究
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2011/08-2012/07
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Abstract
本計畫的研究對象，是以形式句法角度對比分析漢語、日韓語中動詞懸置之動詞組刪略現象。一般對動詞懸置之動詞組刪略的定義，是跟語境裡的顯著先行成分有相同指涉語意的無語音缺省動詞組，其中較特別的是，此種結構在刪略後必須留下帶有所有屈折和對協成分之主要動詞在句中；也由於其表面現象與一般之空賓語句型非常相似，文獻上一直對是否應將其分析為動詞組刪略尚未取得共識。此計畫從調查現代漢語為出發，提出一些新的語料及測試方法加以區分、識別空賓語結構與動詞懸置刪略之不同，進而探討其此結構與日韓語之異同處，以尋求該語言在此句法問題上的啟發，而能更進一步地對相關語法理論驗證並修訂。本計畫執行期間，我們檢視了過去文獻所提出的各項論點，並加入全新的語料觀察，如語意歧異區域性、孤島效應、慣用成語及動詞一致現象，認為漢語與其它動詞提升語言(如希伯來語、愛爾蘭語)相同，提升至結構上較高之功能中心語位置的動詞能形式認可動詞詞組之刪略，也就是我們論證動詞懸置之動詞組刪略機制的確存在於漢語語法中；另一方面，日韓語之許多句法表現均顯現其類似空賓語之句型不該視為動詞組刪略結構。總括來說，本計畫對動詞懸置刪略結構和上述語言相關現象整理出了新的語料，也試著提供可能之分析，進一步來說，也對普遍語法中這方面的提供了更多面向之思維，預期本計畫對語料的蒐集和句法理論的辯證均能有相當的貢獻。
This project aims at a syntactic analysis of verb-stranding ellipsis constructions, in which the main verb remains obligatorily overt after the elision occurs. In particular, with a comparative approach, we investigate the issue of whether some apparent null object constructions can be analyzed as involving verb phrase ellipsis in Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Previous works in verb-raising languages have demonstrated that a verb that has raised to a higher functional head can license ellipsis of the predicate phrase. On the other hand, although this sort of ’VP ellipsis in disguise’ has been extensively discussed in Chinese, Japanese and Korean linguistics, however, no common understanding has been achieved. Therefore, starting with Chinese as our major empirical ground, we scrutinize the associated properties pointed out in the literature as well as present novel observations made in the current project. We suggest that there is verb-stranding ellipsis in (at least) Chinese, drawing on new evidence from idiom chunks and verb identity phenomenon, and that it exhibits parallel traits that are attested in English genuine VPE, such as interpretation ambiguities, locality constraints and licensing conditions. We believe that this research can make substantial contribution to the understanding of null pronominal elements, articulated verbal structures in these East-Asian languages and the syntactic theories of VPE, or more broadly, ellipsis in general.
This project aims at a syntactic analysis of verb-stranding ellipsis constructions, in which the main verb remains obligatorily overt after the elision occurs. In particular, with a comparative approach, we investigate the issue of whether some apparent null object constructions can be analyzed as involving verb phrase ellipsis in Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Previous works in verb-raising languages have demonstrated that a verb that has raised to a higher functional head can license ellipsis of the predicate phrase. On the other hand, although this sort of ’VP ellipsis in disguise’ has been extensively discussed in Chinese, Japanese and Korean linguistics, however, no common understanding has been achieved. Therefore, starting with Chinese as our major empirical ground, we scrutinize the associated properties pointed out in the literature as well as present novel observations made in the current project. We suggest that there is verb-stranding ellipsis in (at least) Chinese, drawing on new evidence from idiom chunks and verb identity phenomenon, and that it exhibits parallel traits that are attested in English genuine VPE, such as interpretation ambiguities, locality constraints and licensing conditions. We believe that this research can make substantial contribution to the understanding of null pronominal elements, articulated verbal structures in these East-Asian languages and the syntactic theories of VPE, or more broadly, ellipsis in general.