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Part of
Current Studies in Chinese Language and Discourse: Global context and diverse perspectives
Edited by Yun Xiao and Linda Tsung
[Studies in Chinese Language and Discourse 10] 2019
► pp. 178–197

Chapter 9
Genericity and sentences with an AP state complement in Mandarin Chinese

| Georgetown University

This study investigates the semantic and pragmatic constraints on the generic/episodic interpretation of Chinese sentences containing a state complement (SC) realized by an adjectival phrase (AP). It argues that the generic interpretation of such sentences is a result of the interaction of the semantics of the verb or verb phrase before 得 de (V/VP-得), the AP complement after 得 de, and pragmatic knowledge. A sentence with an AP state complement will be interpreted as generic when the V/VP-得 in the sentence expresses repeatable or sum events, and when it is determined, given one’s pragmatic knowledge and the semantics of the AP complement, that the property or state expressed by the AP can apply to a relevant event or individual in all events expressed by V/VP-得 in general.

Keywords: generic, episodic, state complement, 得 de , semantics, pragmatics
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The semantics of AP complements in Chinese SC sentences
    • 2.1Event-oriented AP complements
    • 2.2Participant-oriented AP complements
  • 3.The generic domain and interpretation of Chinese SC sentences
    • 3.1Generic quantification over situations
    • 3.2The generic reading of Chinese SC sentences
  • 4.The generic/episodic interpretation of Chinese SC sentences with AP complements
    • 4.1Repeatable events and sum events
    • 4.2The role of AP complements and pragmatic knowledge
    • 4.3The generic interpretation of other constructions in Chinese
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 15 April 2019
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/scld.10.09ren
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