Research On Passives In Mandarin From The Derivational Relation Of Double Events Structure

In the Chinese linguistics circle there are lots of discussions on the Passives. However, the researchers do not achieve an agreement even on some basic problems, such as the derivation of the passives and the syntactic properties of "bei". Besides, there are many problems that deserve deeper investigation, such as passives with stranded objects, the relationship between passives and causatives. This paper is going to focus on these unsolved problems. We adopt the reasonable small clause theory in generative syntax in our analysis.There are two small clauses in passives:resultative small clause and reasonable small clause. This analysis allows one to distinguish stative (resultative, "adjectival") passives from process passives. Resultative passives describe only the resulting state of the affected entity. Process passives describe the same process as the corresponding active but from the perspective of the affected entity rather than the agent/initiator. In some languages, including Chinese, the resultative passive covers the resulting state (resultative small clause). The reason/causer is introduced by "bei" and "bei NP" is a reasonable small clause corresponding with the resultative small clause. Therefore, the underlying structure of resultative passive in Mandarin is given here:[sc PRO bei NP1]V[SCNP2 RP].Applicative Phrase plays a role in core-argument position adding of passives with stranded objects. Applicative derivation increases the valency of the original verb by introducing a new experiencer or sufferer, according to the type of the verb. In Chinese, Low Applicative Phrase and High Applicative Phrase aren't two types but two operating process of passive, Experiencer or sufferer must generate in Low Applicative Phrase which is different from Japanese. The stranded object receives case in High Applicative Phrase which is equal to the Light Verb Phrase. These two phrases of stranded object construction aim to resultative small clause.In some languages, the causative suffix may also simultaneously be an applicative. The interaction of applicatives and causatives leads to the discussion of causative structures in general and their position in the reasonable small clause. The causer after "bei" in passive can be raised to core-argument by applicative derivation which aims to reasonable small clause. Low Applicative Phrase reverses NPs in the reasonable small clause whose predicate head can be occupied by "Ba". High Applicative Phrase assigns case to the object. In conclusion, the light verb phrase is determined by the small clause which connects syntax with semantics. Causative light verb phrase corresponds to the reasonable small clause, while experience or affective light verb phrase corresponds to the resultative small clause. Light verb phrase and small clause are both means of syntactic analysis.This paper, adopting a strategy of "old problem with new approaches and new problems with new methods", tries to offer explanations to the linguistic facts on the one hand and deepen the theory on the other hand.