Title

The Finite Clause and the Non-Finite Clause in Holo Southern Min

Author

Tang, Ting-chi   Yen, Hsiu-shan  

Genre

Article  

Pages

345-377  

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese  

Key words

Taiwanese Southern Min, finite clause, non-definite clause, raising construction in Holo, control construction in Holo, small pro, big PRO  

Abstract

        The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the distinction between finite clauses and non-finite clauses in Taiwanese Holo, which was brought up in Tang (1998). The distinction depends on whether the clauses can form A-not-A questions, and/or whether they may have the empty pronoun PRO as subject. If a predicate verb or adjective can form an A-not-A question, then the clause containing this predicate is a finite one. If a predicate verb or adjective may have PRO as subject, then the clause containing this predicate is a non-finite one. In the course of discussion, we touch upon questions such as the distinction between small ‘pro’ and big ‘PRO’, as well as the comparison between the various syntatic structures of the complement clauses of control verbs, raising verbs, and exceptional case-marking verbs.