A Study On Semantic Features Of The Comparative Structure “X+yi M+bi+yi M+VP”

Comparison is one of cognitive ways for human beings to sense the world. Every language has its own comparative system. In Mandarin Chinese, the study usually concentrates on the semantic features of “bi”, but pays less attention to the semantics of the comparative structure “X+yi M+bi+yi M+VP”. Liu(2005) firstly identifies the two readings of this structure: the progressive reading and the universal reading. Previous studies(Liu, 2005; Wu, 2011; Lv, 2013 etc.) point out:(1) the universal meaning of this structure is an entailment;(2) scale sequence is the main difference between the two readings;(3) the temporal property of “M” can provide regular degree changes for its progressive meaning.However, previous studies directly consider the universal reading as an entailment without any proof. The implied meaning may be entailment as well as conversational implicature. Furthermore, except for the temporal property of “M”, other factors also affect the structure's meaning.This thesis, under the framework of formal semantics, firstly identifies the nature of the two readings in “X+yi M+bi+yi M+VP”. Then it discusses the semantic features of “X”, “M” and “VP”, and their influence on the sentence's meaning. The study found:(1) in this structure, “M” provides regular degree changes to determine a progressive meaning. At the same time, some modifiers of “X”, “VP” and the differential of “VP” can also determine a progressive meaning.(2) the progressive reading expresses a recurring comparison. “X” in this reading is generally an individual or an uncountable noun. The comparative targets are a specific property of “X” in different states or periods. “M” in the progressive reading can be temporal nouns, verbal classifiers, some count-classifiers and common nouns which have the spatial property. As for “VP”, it is usually a stage level predicate.(3) the universal reading is an entailment. “M” is a set of individuals that come from the same category. They are also the comparative targets of this structure. “M” of universal readings can be count-classifiers and common nouns which have no spatial property. “VP” in this reading is the individual level predicate.(4) Due to the comparative targets' coercion, sometimes, the stage level predicate can temporarily act as an individual level predicate, and vice versa.