Cover not available
Article published In:
International Journal of Chinese Linguistics
Vol. 7:1 (2020) ► pp.90–112

Syntax of causative-passive correlation from a cross-linguistic perspective

| Tsinghua University

Causatives and passives are two different types of syntactic constructions, but their interaction can be observed cross-linguistically. By investigating the causative-passive correlation in Chinese, English and French, we try to offer an appropriate account for the causative-passive correlation by specifying its necessary conditions. We argue that the constructions which involve the causative-passive correlation must be mono-phasal, and the embedded object can be co-referred to the matrix subject by syntactic movement.

Keywords: causative-passive correlation, passivization, French, Chinese
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The internal structure of the causative construction in Chinese
  • 3.Deriving the passive constructions in Chinese
    • 3.1Previous accounts
      • 3.1.1Long passive constructions
      • 3.1.2Short passive constructions
    • 3.2A proper unified analysis for Chinese passives
    • 3.3The Bei-passives and the constructions headed by rang and jiao
  • 4.The causative-passive correlation in English and French
    • 4.1The causative-passive correlation in English
    • 4.2The causative-passive correlation in French
  • 5.The causative-passive correlation from a cross-linguistic perspective
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • The abbreviations used in this article are enumerated as follows
  • References
Published online: 30 June 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ijchl.00007.hu
References

References

Burzio, Luigi
(1986) Italian Syntax: A Government and Binding Approach. Kluwer, Dordrecht. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Chomsky, Noam
(2000) Minimalist Inquiries. In Roger Martin, David Michaels, and Juan Uriagereka, eds., Step by Step: Essays on Minimalist Syntax in Honor of Howard Lasnik. The MIT Press.Google Scholar
Chiu, H-C Bonnie
(1995) An object clitic projection in Mandarin Chinese. Journal of East Asian Linguistics 41: 77-117. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ding, Shengshu (丁声树)
(1961) 《现代汉语语法讲话》 Xiandai Hanyu Yufa Jianghua [Lectures on Modern Chinese Grammar]. Beijing: The Commercial Press.Google Scholar
Folli, Rafaella, and Heidi, Harley
(2007) Causation, obligation, and argument structure: on the nature of little v. Linguistic Inquiry 381: 197–238. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Guasti, Maria-Teresa
(1996) Semantic restrictions in Romance causatives and the incorporation approach. Linguistic Inquiry 271: 294–313.Google Scholar
(2006) Analytic causatives. In M. Everaert, and van Riemsdijk, eds., The Blackwell Companion to Syntax. Vol. 11: 142–172. Oxford: Blackwell. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Han, Jingquan (韩景泉)., and Haihua, Pan (潘海华)
(2016) 汉语保留宾语结构句法生成的最简分析 Hanyu baoliu binyu-jiegou jufa shengcheng de zuijian fenxi [A minimalist account of the syntactic derivation of Chinese retained object constructions]. 《语言教学与研究》 Yuyan Jiaoxue yu Yanjiu [Language Teaching and Research]. 1791: 41–53.Google Scholar
Homer, Vincent, Tomoko, Ishizuka, and Dominique, Sportiche
(2009) The locality of clitic placement and the analysis of French causatives. 7th GLOW in Asia Conference. The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, India.
Hu, Jianhua (胡建华)., and Mengmeng, Yang (杨萌萌)
(2015) ‘致使-被动’结构的句法 Zhishi-Beidong jiegou de jufa [The causative-passive opposition and correlation in Chinese]. 《当代语言学》 Dangdai Yuyanxue [Contemporary Linguistics] 171: 36–53.Google Scholar
Hu, Jianhua, and Haihua, Pan
(2009) Decomposing the aboutness condition for Chinese topic constructions. The Linguistic Review 261: 371–384. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hu, Xiaoshi
(2017) Les constructions causatives du français et du chinois [The Causative Constructions in French and in Chinese]. PhD dissertation. Université Paris Diderot.Google Scholar
(2018) Explorer la structure interne des constructions causatives du français [Exploring the internal structure of French causatives]. Canadian Journal of Linguistics 631: 70–99. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Huang, C.-T. James
(1999) Chinese passives in comparative perspective. Tsing Hua Journal of Chinese Studies. 291: 423–509.Google Scholar
Huang, C.-T., James, Y.-H., Audrey, Li, and Yafei, Li
(2009) The Syntax of Chinese. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ippolito, Michela
(2000) Remarks on the Argument Structure of Romance Causative. Cambridge MA: MIT Press.Google Scholar
Kayne, Richard
(1975) French Syntax. Cambridge MA: MIT Press.Google Scholar
(2005) Some notes on comparative syntax, with special reference to English and French. In G. Cinque, & R. Kayne, eds., The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Syntax, 3–69. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Liu, Na
(2016) The structures of Chinese long and short Bei passives revisited. Language and Linguistics. 171: 857–889. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Pan, Haihua (潘海华)., and Jingquan, Han (韩景泉)
(2008) 汉语保留宾语结构的句法生成机制 Hanyu baoliu binyu jiegou de jufa shengcheng jizhi [The syntactic mechanism of retained object constructions in Chinese]. 《中国语文》 Zhongguo Yuwen [Studies of the Chinese Language]. 3271: 511–576.Google Scholar
Pan, Haihua, and Jianhua, Hu
(2008) A semantic-pragmatic interface account of (dangling) topics in Mandarin Chinese. Journal of Pragmatics 401: 1966–1981. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Roberts, Ian
(2010) Agreement and Head Movement: Clitics, Incorporation, and Defective Goals. Cambridge MA: MIT Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Rouveret, Alain
(2015) Arguments minimalistes, une présentation du Programme Minimaliste de Noam Chomsky [Minimalist Arguments: a Presentation of Noam Chomsky’s Minimalist Program]. ENS Lyon éditions. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Rouveret, Alain, and Jean-Roger, Vergnaud
(1980) Specifying reference to the subject: French causatives and conditions on representaions. Linguisic Inquiry 111: 97–202.Google Scholar
Saina, Wuyun, and Haihua, Pan
(2014a) A study on the influence of Chinese passives on center transitions in discourse. Language and Linguistics. 151: 265–293.Google Scholar
(2014b) The inter-sentential function of Mandarin bei passives. Chinese Language and Discourse. 51: 252–280. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Shi, Dingxu
(1997) Issues on Chinese passives. Journal of Chinese Linguistics. 251: 41–70.Google Scholar
Shi, Dingxu (石定栩)., and Jianhua, Hu (胡建华)
(2005) ‘被’的句法地位 Bei de jufa diwei [The syntactic status of Bei ]. 《当代语言学》 Dangdai Yuyanxue [Contemporary Linguistics]. 71: 213–224.Google Scholar
Tang, Chi-Chen Jane
(2001) Functional projections and adverbial expressions in Chinese. Language and Linguistics, 21: 203–241.Google Scholar
Tang, Sze-Wing
(2001) A complementation approach to Chinese passives and its consequences. Linguistics 391: 257–295. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Tang, Sze-Wing (邓思颖)
(2004) 作格化和汉语被动句 Zuogehua he hanyu beidongju [Ergativization and Chinese passives]. 《中国语文》 Zhongguo Yuwen [Studies of the Chinese Language]. 3011: 291–301.Google Scholar
(2008) 汉语被动句句法分析的重新思考 Hanyu beidongju jufa fenxi de chongxin sikao [Syntactic analysis of Chinese passives]. 《当代语言学》 Dangdai Yuyanxue [Contemporary Linguistics] 101: 308–319.Google Scholar
Ting, Jen
(1998) Deriving the Bei-construction in Mandarin Chinese. Journal of East Asian Linguistics 71: 319–360. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Tsai, Wei-Tien. Dylan
(1994) On Economizing the Theory of A-bar Dependencies. PhD dissertation. MIT.Google Scholar
Wang, Li
(1992 [1943]) 《中国现代语法》 Zhongguo Xiandai Yufa [The grammar of modern Chinese]. Beijing: The Commercial Press.Google Scholar
Zhu, Jialei (朱佳蕾)., and Dongfan, Hua (花东帆)
(2018) 被动主动句——认识把字句句法语义的新视角 Beidong zhudong ju: renshi ba-zi ju jufa yuyi de xin shijiao [Passive active sentence: a new perspective on the syntax and the semantics of ba-construction]. 《语言教学与研究》 Yuyan Jiaoxue yu Yanjiu [Language Teaching and Linguistic Studies] 1891: 56–68.Google Scholar
Zubizarreta, Maria Luisa
(1985) The relation between morphophonology and morphosyntax: The case of Romance causative. Linguistic Inquiry 161: 247–289.Google Scholar