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Article In:
Asian Languages and Linguistics
Vol. 5:2 (2024) ► pp.210–250

Analysis of the Chinese passive/disposal combined-occurrence constructions

A case study of the Bei-Ba constructions

ORCID logo | The Chinese University of Hong KongShenzhen
This study uses Bei-Ba constructions as a case study to investigate the Chinese passive/disposal combined-occurrence constructions. By comparing the synchrony and diachrony of the Bei-Ba constructions, it is found that while ancient Bei-Ba constructions have four different types, contemporary Bei-Ba constructions expanded to include a new type (Type III). The reason why Type III Bei-Ba constructions emerged is twofold: the expansion of the scenario in which Bei-Ba constructions reside provides the possibility for the emergence of Type III Bei-Ba constructions; the need for expressing negation leads to the necessity of the emergence of Type III Bei-Ba constructions. Although contemporary Bei-Ba constructions developed a new type, the general tendency of the Bei-Ba constructions is a decrement in both type and token frequency. This process of decrement cannot be avoided by Bei-Ba constructions, because: (1) they are less competitive than similar constructions on the Information Processing Time; (2) their lower frequency further results in their decrement. Theoretically, this study has shed light on the decrement of constructions and uncovered that the two determinants are the principle of economy and frequency.
Keywords: Bei-Ba constructions, passive and disposal combined-occurrence, synchronic and diachronic analysis, quantitative and qualitative approach, decrement of constructions
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Data and methodology
  • 3.The classification of the contemporary Bei-Ba Cxns
  • 4.The characteristics of the five types of contemporary Bei-Ba Cxns
    • 4.1Contemporary Type I Bei-Ba Cxns
      • 4.1.1The syntactic constituent of the three arguments in contemporary Type I Bei-Ba Cxns
      • 4.1.2The relationships of the three arguments in contemporary Type I Bei-Ba Cxns
      • 4.1.3The syntactic constituent of the VP in contemporary Type I Bei-Ba Cxns
      • 4.1.4The semantics of the VP in contemporary Type I Bei-Ba Cxns
    • 4.2The other four types of contemporary Bei-Ba Cxns
  • 5.The attributes of the ancient Bei-Ba Cxns
    • 5.1Ancient Type I Bei-Ba Cxns
      • 5.1.1The syntactic constituent of the three arguments in ancient Type I Bei-Ba Cxns
      • 5.1.2The relationships of the three arguments in ancient Type I Bei-Ba Cxns
      • 5.1.3The syntactic constituent of the VP in ancient Type I Bei-Ba Cxns
      • 5.1.4The semantics of the VP in ancient Type I Bei-Ba Cxns
    • 5.2The other three types of ancient Bei-Ba Cxns
  • 6.The development of the Bei-Ba Cxns
    • 6.1The syntactic and semantic development of the Bei-Ba Cxns
    • 6.2The emergence of Type III Bei-Ba Cxns
    • 6.3The decrement of the Bei-Ba Cxns
  • 7.Conclusions
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • Author queries
  • References
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