Title

On Argument Structures and Introducing Strategies: A Case Study of Noncanonical Disposal jiong in Sixian Hakka

Author

Jui-yi Zoey Chung

Genre

Article

Pages

761-802

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese

Key words

argument structure, noncanonical disposal, applicative, artographic approach, comparative syntax

Abstract

　　This paper presents a syntactic account for the disposal-affective jiong 將 constructions in Sixian Hakka, investigating two types of argument-introducing strategies and a topography of the vP periphery under the cartographic approach (Rizzi 1997; Cinque 1999). Our aim is to offer a topography of Sixian Hakka jiong to empirically capture the interpretation and distribution of the disposal-affective alternation. Theoretically, two argument-licensers are involved, namely the light verb (v ⁰; Huang 1997; Lin 2001) and the head of an Applicative phrase (Appl⁰; Pylkkänen 2002; McGinnis 2005). The argument introduced in jiong-construal illustrates a close mapping between the syntactic distribution and the semantic interpretation. The dual status of jiong, v⁰ and Appl⁰, provides a testing ground to explore the argument-licensing strategies in a language presenting flexibility in argument structure.