A Generalized Leftward Merger Interpretation Of Mandarin Chinese Topic Construction

Mandarin Chinese topic construction has long been a focus in linguistics research. Ever since the late 1960s,researchers have been studying Mandarin Chinese topic construction from the perspectives of functionalism(Li & Thompson,1976,1981;Chu, 1997;Shi Yuzhi,2001),structuralism(Chao,1968;Shi Youwei,1995),and formalism (Huang,1982;Huang & Li,1996;Xu Liejiong & Liu Danqing,1998).Various approaches to the research of Chinese topic construction have so far resulted in controversial conclusions.This thesis is the study of the merger and topicality of Mandarin Chinese topic and the topic construction as well as the collocation between homogenous and heterogeneous topics.Based on Chomsky's Minimalist Program,Dai Manchun(2002,2003) proposes the Principle of Generalized Leftward Merger for a unified interpretation of adjunction, concluding that adjunction does not result from movement,but from leftward merger at four positions in the sentence,i.e.D,C,B and A.Based on Dai Manchun's theory,this thesis postulates that the Generalized Leftward Merger Model can also apply to Mandarin Chinese topic construction,arguing that Chinese topics are also generated via leftward merger at these four positions.Five issues will be dealt with in this thesis: 1)The different ways how topicalized sentences in Mandarin Chinese are derived;2)Re-categorization of the topics according to their topicality;3)The merger of the topics,which is justified by evidence from three aspects;4)The emergence of syntactic cost during syntactic operation,which consequently leads to different topicality;5)The collocation between homogeneous and heterogeneous topics.Moreover,due to the syntactic cost,the merger of Chinese topics at the four positions renders a cline of topicality.The merger of topics at Top D costs the least while that at Top A the most;consequently,a topic at Top D is of greater topicality than that at Top A; topics at Top C and Top B are of less topicality than that at Top D but greater than that at Top A.This thesis thus provides a more systematic and adequate interpretation for Chinese topic construction.This thesis consists of six chapters.Chapter One"Introduction"gives a brief account of the issues which will be addressed in the thesis,as well as the significance of the thesis. Chapter Two"Previous Studies on Mandarin Chinese Topic"contributes to a general survey and discussion of the three dominant approaches to the research of Chinese topic construction and proposes the working definition of topic in this thesis.Chapter Three proceeds to review how Dai Manchun(2002,2003) develops the Principle of Generalized Leftward Merger and analyzes adjunction by the principle.Its application will be found in topic construction in the argumentation of the next chapter.Chapter Four investigates Mandarin Chinese topic construction by the Principle of Generalized Leftward Merger. Evidence from three aspects is provided to justify the hypothesis.Chapter Five elaborates on the reasons behind the different topicality at the four different positions of merger and surveys the collocation between heterogeneous and homogeneous topics.Chapter Six serves as a conclusion to the whole thesis and lands on the implications and limitation of the present study.