Semantics Of Locative Alternation In Mandarin Chinese

Locative alternations, also known as locative reversible sentences in Mandarin Chinese, refer to the linguistic phenomenon that the change of locative phrase's position does not cause ungrammaticality. The study on locative alternation, a part of the reversible sentence research, has attracted a lot of attention. Previous studies have made much progress, especially the research through the methods of structure transformation and semantic feature analysis. Structure transformation analysis helps to classify different locative structures and demonstrates their mutual-transformation relations. Semantic feature analysis reveals some conditions of the locative alternation to some degree.On the basis of previous studies, this thesis takes a Construction Grammar approach to two locative constructions, zai+NPloc+V+N and N+V+zai+NPloc. The thesis tries to analyze the verbs which are categorized into the locative alternation being considered. It classifies the verbs and summarizes their semantic properties. Moreover, the interactions among construction components are analyzed to uncover the underlying reason for alternation. Mental scanning of the two locative constructions shows differences between cognitive processes of the two constructions, which helps to put the discussion in this thesis to the proof.Through analysis, this thesis offers a different viewpoint to the interpretation of locative alternation. Verbs, which can be categorized into the locative alternation, must possess a resultative sense that is compatible with the construction's RESULT meaning. In other words, the verb must denote an action that can affect the patient's location or state. It is also proposed that in locative alternation, the locative phrase zai+NPloc semantically refers to the resultant location of the entity denoted by Noun. If the resultant state of entity in N+V+zai+NPloc is not caused by the action denoted by the verb in zai+NPloc+V+N, the alternation will not happen.