A Valence Study Of Existential Sentences In Modern Chinese

The purposes of the thesis are to introduce the principle of valence grammar into studying the existential sentences in modern Chinese and reorder the existential sentences through a synthetical study. In the thesis, as regards the question of the valence of location (plus preposition or not), disputed greatly in the study of existential sentences, I suggest resolving it by the valence theory. According to the conditions, the thesis neither confirms absolutely the position of the valence nor denies it entirely but establishes a handling principle, that is to see if the semantic field of the verbs in the sentence has or involves the semantic key element of "location" with the semantic characteristic [+ adhesion] and these verbs generally can enter such syntax frame: Np+V+N→N+V+(at)Np. According to the principle, the thesis divides the verbs in existential sentences into one- valence and bivalent verbs and describes them through grammar and semantic frames. When discussing the valence of verbs, I separately handle verbs and verb phrases. As for verb phrases, the thesis mainlydiscusses two of them one is "V+full" the other is "V+verb-direction". In addition, I take USAGE OF VERB DICTIONARY (edited by Mengzong, published by cishu press) as an object of study, and search and reorganize the verbs being in existential sentences and acquire the frequency of the verbs in the existential sentences. Finally, taking the grammar and semantic characteristics as standards, it constructs a classified system about existential sentences and divides them into two big and seven small classification. Because the thesis mainly studies the existential sentences with valence, the valence spirit is carried out from beginning to the end. Except the valence classification of verbs, when describing the component parts in sentences is based on verbs and the semantic and syntax characteristics of verbs, which is the core spirit of the valence.