A Study Of The Word Order Of The Double Transitive Structure In Taiwanese

Contrasting word order alignments of ditransitive constructions in Tai Languages,there are more differences than universals.On the basis of dividing giving-type verbs and getting-type verbs,this dissertation contains detailed observation and a detailed study.On the basis of empirical fieldwork and extensive linguistic data,the dissertation consists of five chapters.Chapter I introduces the existing studies of ditransitive constructions both domestically and abroad,and significance of the dissertation,methods and source of data.Chapter II classifies the most frequently-used ditransitive verbs in Tai languages semantically,and illustrates how ditransitive construction is related to serial verb construction.Chapter III analyses the word order alignments of ditransitive construction of Tai languages in detail,and summarizes the distribution of indirective alignment/R-type and secundative alignment/T-type.Besides,this section analyses what factors had caused the word order to transfer.Chapter IV is about the evolution of word order of ditransitive construction,which includes the conclusion that V+T+R is the inherent alignment in Tai branch,and the grammaticalization process of Give andthe semantic model map of verbs;and a summary of the influence of ditransitive verbs on word order alignment,and explanations of Southwestern Mandarin’s influence on word order of ditransitive construction in domestic Tai languages.Chapter V points out the shortcomings of the dissertation and those issues which need to be digged in the future.There are some new things both in data and theories,but the study is limited by the inadequacy data and the synchronic methods,so it fails to observe or analyse the development of word order from diachronic aspect.