A Generative Study Of Chinese Shi...De Focus Construction

The thesis provides a study of the Chinese shi…de construction within the framework ofgenerative syntax. The construction has been a hotly discussed topic in the generativeliterature. It is argued that among the various approaches proposed to account for itsderivation and interpretation, none is optimal as they do not meet the ‘explanatory adequancy’requirement and their empirical coverage is unsatisfactory. The author of the present studyproposes a new analysis. In this analysis, shi is treated as a focus marker in the process ofgrammaticalization, and de is a sentence-final particle. As for the optional omission of de inshi...de construction, it is proposed to be possible only in subject/adjunct focus construction.In predicate-focus construction, however, de is indispensible. Besides, de is not only a pasttime marker as in some cases, it can co-occur with modal verbs with future reading. In thecleft alternation [V-de-Ob] construction, it is argued that de raises to cliticize to the verb, thusending up linearly preceding the object. To push the study further, the author also carries out acomparative study between Chinese shi...de construction and English cleft sentence,concluding that the two are both functionally and syntactically different.