The Diachronic Development and Synchronic Distribution of Minimizers in Mandarin Chinese

摘要: Author(s): Chen, I-Hsuan | Advisor(s): Sweetser, Eve E Abstract: This study deals with the historical development of Mandarin minimizers through examining their synchronic distribution. The main source minimizers, a distinct class negative polarity items (NPIs), is ‘one’-phrases which are composed numeral ‘one’, unit word, and noun. as from Old Chinese, Middle Early Mandarin, to Modern makes strong links among important linguistic issues such NPI licensing, word order, numeral-classifier phrases, focus constructions.The diachronic analyzed constructional approach. present shows that these changes whole ‘one’-phrase construction instead merely lexical items. approach reflects both compositionality non-compositionality at different stages development. Each component contributes its semantics construction, while syntactic, semantic, pragmatic relations three elements have changed over time. various functions ‘one’-phrases, including phrase, modifier referential result being associated extant constructions in forming network. hierarchical network accounts for how developed polysemous model.Results corpus/text analyses show that, general, gradually tendency appearing preverbal object position. However, when existential involved, they tend stay postverbal I argue distribution has been shaped by information structure VO OV orders. skewed construals structured Mandarin. an obligatory focus, profiles object. When under negation appear must be interpreted minimizers. combination guarantees scalar reading, provides environment additive particle 也 yě exhaustive operator 都 dōu develop interpretation. It also why require accompanying particles.The requirement focus-sensitive particles observed other classifier languages Japanese, Korean, Malay. A typological comparison crucial condition licensing Moreover, ordering components combined position results scopes focus-imposed difference scope determines inferences minimizer question structured. can construed either type or quantity contrast. analysis come same source, particle, alternatives inferences. To summarize, account employed this quantitative treatment language change originates use particular attention paid negation. exemplifies incremental process within answer crosslinguistically recognized NPIs integrating focal construals, referentiality scalarity.