The Syntax And Semantics Of Chinese Resultative Constructions

The resultative construction, falling into the domain of syntax and semantics, has been regarded as a research focus by the linguists in the fields of generative grammar, construction grammar, etc. This construction takes the V1-V2 form(both V1 and V2 can be the verbalized adjective) where V2 functions as a resultative complement of V1. On the one hand, Chinese resultative constructions are frequently used in both oral and written materials, which cannot be ignored in language teaching and linguistic research. On the other hand, Chinese resultative constructions are complex in forms and structures. Therefore the current study investigates the semantic and syntactic properties under the framework of the Minimalist Program with reference to Prosodic Syntax.Previous researches on the derivation of Chinese resultative constructions fall into two systems: treating the construction as the lexically generated compound or as the syntactically generated structure. The current study argues that V1-V2 forms a prosodic word, which takes the features of both word and phrase.The current study firstly analyzes the referential properties and argument distribution of Chinese resultative constructions and divides the constructions according to whether they have objects. Under the framework of the Minimalist Program, vP Shell Analysis is applied to treat the Chinese resultative constructions as a vP shell consisting of light verb and predicate verb. The light verb characterized with EPP feature triggers the subordinate predicate verb to move and merge with it. Under the framework of prosodic syntax, the foot realization requirement motivates the resultative complement to incorporate into the matrix verb so as to constitute a prosodic word. According to Chinese Nuclear Stress Rule, the prosodic word assigns a stress to the direct object or the matrix verb assigns a stress to its complement when no object appears. The derivations of both transitive and intransitive Chinese resultative constructions are explained under the integration of two theories.Nuclear Stress is realized in the last constituent in the last phrase of the string of language under no special contexts. Taking Zhu Geliang qisi le Zhou Yu as an example, Zhou Yu in the object position gets a nuclear stress from the prosodic word qisi and becomes the semantic focus.