The Mandarin "V Ge N/VP" Structures: Perspective From The Covert Quantity Theory

Under the framework of Cognitive linguistics, the present dissertation studies the "V ge N" structure and its variant "V ge VP" from the perspective of "covert quantity". The asymmetry between the form and the meaning of the "V ge N" structure is described, and then the structure is classified into three types according to the different properties of "ge". The "V ge N" structure's formal features, meaning, as well as the mechanism and motivation of their formation are analyzed from the perspective of cognitive "quantity". What is more, the quantity feature of "V ge VP" structure and its motivation of formation are also discussed.The dissertation aims to answer two questions: (i) what is the nature of "V ge N/VP" structures? (ii) what lies behind the linguistic behaviors of "V ge N/VP" structures?The dissertation consists of seven chapters.Chapter 1 introduces the research questions, the theoretical framework, the main ideas and the research method. The sources of data are also reported.Chapter 2 first reviews the researches on quantity category and covert quantity both in and abroad, and then summarizes the researches on the special usage of "ge", the "V ge N" structure and its variant "V ge VP".In Chapter 3, the asymmetry between the form and the meaning of the "V ge N" structure is analyzed, then it is classified into three types :S₁,S₂ and S₃ according to their different grammatical behaviors. The problems of the "dichotomy" in "V ge N" structure are pointed out.Chapter 4 studies the S₂, including the grammatical function of "ge₂", the semantic differences between S₂ and S₁, the formative motivation and mechanism of S₂ and its distinctive features. It is proposed that "ge₂" is a special verbal classifier, the essential property of which is to make the abstract activity of "VN" bounded, converting it into a concrete event. Sometimes it can help to express the "small quantity" of the verb. The "N" and "VN" in S₂ are distinctive from that of S₁. S₂ is the grammaticalized form of S₁, and the direct formative motivation of S₂ is that the "N" after "ge₂" cannot be individualized, so S₂ is the intergradation between overt quantity and covert quantity of the "V ge N" structure.Chapter 5 discusses the grammatical function of "ge₃" in S₃. The external syntactic environment, the essential properties and the external formative motivation of S₃ are also analyzed. It is proposed that "ge₃" is a marker to evaluate the subjective value quantity, and S₃ is essentially a covert quantity structure which is subjectively evaluating the "quality" of "VN". Furthermore, S₃ often appears in non-event sentences such as "Lian" sentences. The "subjectivity" and "subjectivisation" is the formative motivation of S₃.Chapter 6 analyzes the quantity feature and the formative motivation of "V ge VP" structure. The internal semantic relation of "V ge VP" structure is complex. S₄, which expresses the Verb-Result relation, has its particularities in quantity. S₄ is a construction expressing the subjective abnormal-state quantity, which includes two types: the super large-quantity and the unexpected quantity. The formation of this meaning of S₄ is related to the focus salience and the distance iconicity principle.Chapter 7 summarizes the general findings and the innovations of this study, as well as the theoretical and the practical implications of the findings. The possible directions for future research are also presented.