A Tentative Study On The Preposition's Valence

The preposition is an important category in Chinese part of speech system. But, because it displays considerable complexity in aspects of origin, meaning, function and distribution, therefore since "Ma Shi Wen Tong", questions about preposition, such as its grammar nature, grammatical function and lexical category, have been in the continual argument. In the Modern Chinese Valence Research, how to deal with the Preposition Phrase has also become the main barrier in the Verb Valence Research. The further development of Valence Theory asks us to carry on a research about this question thoroughly and systematically. So far, the Academic Circles have not carried on any special discussions and researches on it. The majority of research results appear in the research of correlative questions, lacking of unity and systematic characteristic. Therefore, we think it is necessary for us to make an attempt to have a thorough and comprehensive discussion about this question, to make the Modern Chinese Valance Research to be more perfect.Because of the special status of preposition and the specific request of valance research, we will demonstrate and explain this question by historical description, contemporary comparison, semantic analysis and transformation analysis.The main body of this article mainly includes four parties: First, reconsider the concept, nature and determination principles of the Valance Theory on the foundation of the predecessors'studies, and elaborate our own views; Second, review and evaluate valance scholars'all sorts of disposal to the preposition phrase, and elaborate the preposition's valance performance in the following aspects: the relations between the nature of preposition and valance, the semantic performance of preposition, the preposition and case-mark, the typological analysis of preposition; Third, discuss the characteristics of the preposition's valance structure, the quantity and semantic performance of its arguments; Last, analyze how the verb's valance structure and the preposition's valance structure are connected together with practical examples.The conclusion is that Valance is a comprehensive concept which takes the syntax as the core, also contains the semantics and the language uses. The Research of Valance Grammar should take the forming process of sentence's valance structure as the ultimate objective. The preposition phrase is quite important in the sentence structure, so we must take it as a relatively independent research object. Although the preposition is taken as a kind of functional word, but it is being in grammaticalization, and still has suitable semantic foundation. As a kind of preposition, it lacks the possibility and necessity to formalize completely, acting as a case-mark is only its secondary function. In Typology, the preposition connects its object with the sentence's subject, conforming to the Relator Principle. The preposition in modern Chinese is a special kind of functional word with the ability and request for arguments. Compared with the verb's valance structure, the preposition's valance structure has the characteristics of non-independence and non-self sufficiency. The preposition generally requests two arguments, they are the sentence's subject and the preposition's object, the latter argument usually asks for non- core semantics roles, such as Time, Place. In the construction of sentence, the preposition's valance structure is taken as the sentence's secondary predicate, which must be connected with the sentence's main predicate.The establishment of the preposition's valance, conforms to its own grammatical performance, may solve many problems effectively, helpful for the valance's further development, having vital significance in the Chinese Grammar Research.