Chapter 5
Chinese syntax I
This chapter offers a general analysis of some basic
concepts and structures in Chinese syntax. It first defines major lexical
categories based on the modifiability and linear order in Chinese and
explains the hierarchical nature of a sentence structure. Section 5.2 then proceeds to illustrate
the elements that can appear in a noun phrase, which includes classifiers
and how they are related to the concept of mass versus count nouns. The
definiteness and referentiality of Chinese nouns are then explored. The
section ends with an introduction to nominal modifiers including relative
clauses. Section 5.3 introduces
postverbal and preverbal constituents. Postverbal constituents include
objects, elements appearing after V-de and phrases
expressing duration and frequency, as well as locative phrases for some
verbs. They are closer structurally to the verb than preverbal constituents.
Constituents appearing in the preverbal position include adverbs, modals and
prepositional phrases. Aspect markers are then introduced. The chapter
ends with an introduction to the acquisition of Chinese noun phrases, verb
complements and the perfective aspect marker -le
了.
Article outline
- 5.1Lexical categories, linear order, and constituency
- 5.2Chinese noun phrase
- 5.2.1Classifiers and mass vs. count
- 5.2.2Definiteness and referentiality
- 5.2.3Nominal modifiers
- 5.3Chinese verb phrase
- 5.3.1Post-verbal constituents
- 5.3.1.1Objects and transitivity of verbs
- 5.3.1.2V-de structure
- 5.3.1.3Frequency and duration phrases
- 5.3.1.4Locative and directional phrases following certain verbs
- 5.3.2Pre-verbal constituents
- 5.3.2.1Manner and negation adverbs, and adverbs expressing a speaker’s
judgement
- 5.3.2.2Modals
- 5.3.2.3Prepositional phrases
- 5.3.3Aspect markers
- 5.3.3.1Perfective aspect marker -le
了
- 5.3.3.2Experiential aspect marker -guò
过
- 5.3.3.3Progressive aspect marker zài
在
- 5.3.3.4Durative aspect marker -zhe
着
- 5.4Acquisition of Chinese noun phrases, verb complements and aspect marker
-le
了
- 5.4.1Acquisition of Chinese noun phrases
- 5.4.1.1Acquisition of Chinese classifiers
- 5.4.1.2Acquisition of Chinese relative clauses
- 5.4.2Acquisition of verb complements
- 5.4.3Acquisition of aspect marker -le
了
- Exercises
-
Notes
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Further reading