| This dissertation demonstrates that thematic structures as a level of representation should be incorporated into the grammatical analysis of Mandarin Chinese, along with functional structures, constituent structures, and conceptual structures. The thematic structure allows us to view variations in the language as a result of interaction between this structure and other structures: verb copying sentences as an interaction between thematic structure and functional structure or constituent structure, V-O compounds as an interaction between thematic structure and constituent structure, and the placement of perfective marker -le as an interaction between thematic structure and conceptual structure.; Each verb is represented by its thematic structure, and the basic component of thematic structures is thematic roles. Therefore, we first identify the following four basic thematic roles that are essential for Mandarin Chinese: agent, theme, patient, and locative. Each thematic role is established and distinguished on syntactic and semantic tests. We, then, present a classification of simple verbs in Mandarin Chinese in terms of combination of these four thematic roles. Then, we discuss complex verbs, which combine different classes of simple verbs and have complex thematic structures.; The thematic structure links syntax and morphology. In syntax, there are ba sentences, verb copying sentences, complex stative constructions of resultative and descriptive, and serial verb constructions. In morphology, there are resultative verb compounds, directional verb compounds, and V-O compounds. We postulate principles for merging of thematic structures to account for the constraints in the formation of resultative verb compounds and directional verb compounds. The merging of thematic structures has some consequences on the interpretation and syntactic analysis of ba sentences, verb copying sentences, and serial verb constructions, all of which are related patterns in the language.; The classification of simple verbs on the basis of thematic structures can be extended to the classification of compound verbs or syntactic patterns. Constraints and principles in the language can be viewed as a consequence of different combinations and merging of thematic structures. Thus, thematic structures as one level of representation should be incorporated in the grammatical analysis. |
