The Functional Syntactico-Semantic Analysis Of Chinese Causative Constructions

Causation,which is a common phenomenon in human languages,has been a research focus of linguists for a long time,and they have been intrigued by causative constructions--syntactic structures which express the meaning of cause.The Chinese causative constructions,as special constructions in Chinese,have attracted the interest of scholars ever since Ma Jianzhong put forward issues about causatives for the first time in Ma Shi Wen Tong in 1898.However,the problems related to Chinese causative constructions,especially the shi(使)causative constructions and imperative causative constructions,have not successfully solved up to now.Therefore,this study focuses on shi(使)causative constructions,which contain the causative verbs like shi(使),rang(让),ling(令),or jiao(叫)that fill the position of V1,and imperative causative constructions,in which V1 in the structure “NP1 + V1 + NP2 + V2(+ NP3)” is endowed with the meaning of commanding,requesting,appointing or forcing.In this study,668 shi causative clauses and 326 imperative causative clauses have been collected from the Center for Chinese Linguistics(CCL)of Peking University.And they have been analyzed semantically and syntactically from the perspective of the Cardiff(Model of Systemic Functional)Grammar in order to explore their syntactic and semantic features.Through the semantic and syntactic analysis of the Chinese shi and imperative causative constructions,we have made the following findings: 1)There are four basic semantic elements in Chinese causative constructions: the Causer,the Process,the Causee and the Effect;2)V1 like shi,rang,ling or jiao in Chinese shi causative constructions functions as the Main Verb Extension instead of the Main Verb,since it merely expresses the causative meaning,whereas the Main Verb is V2 because it clearly reveals the experiential meaning of the process involved;3)According to the process type that the Main Verb(V2)realizes,Chinese shi causative constructions can be classified into four main types: action,mental,relational and communicative.The mental shi causative constructions is classified into four subtypes: emotive,perceptual,cognitive and desiderative.The relational shi causative construction is classified into five subtypes: attributive,possessive,locational,directional and matching;4)V1 in Chinese imperative causative constructions is the Main Verb that expresses the process type,on the basis of which such constructions can be classified into two main types: action and communicative.Furthermore,different types of causative constructions have their unique configuration of participants,and the four typological semantic elements in the constructions are realized variously in semantics and syntax.Semantically,the Causer may assume the participant role of the Agent,the Agent-Phenomenon or the Communicator in the transitivity analysis,which is realized by the Subject in the syntactic form.Syntactically,the process is realized by the Main Verb in imperative causative construction,but in Chinese shi causative constructions,the process is jointly realized by the Main Verb and the Main Verb Extension like shi,rang,ling or jiao.The Causee may play the participant role of the Affected,the Affected-Emoter,the AffectedPerceiver,the Affected-Cognizant,the Affected-Desiderator,the Affected-Carrier,the Affected-Possessor or the Communicator,which is realized by the Complement syntactically.The Effect is mapped out to the Process and the subsequent participant,which may be the Range,the Phenomenon,the Attribute,the Affected-Possessed,the Location,the Destination,the Matchee and the Communicated in the transitivity analysis,which is in turn realized by the Complement syntactically.Nevertheless,the Effect can be fused with the Process,when the Effect and the Main Verb mutually realize the Process in the action,emotive,desiderative and attributive shi causative constructions.Besides,the interpersonal function of the collected Chinese shi causative constructions and Chinese imperative causative constructions is to give information.They are usually positive clauses and haven’t been assessed in validity.The Causer is realized by the Subject and hence the Subject Theme.The Effect is the unmarked New information.There is no realization of logical relations and affective meaning.The study makes a functional syntactico-semantic analysis of Chinese shi causative constructions and imperative causative constructions within the theoretical framework of the Cardiff Grammar,which provides a new perspective for the investigation of Chinese causative constructions and will enhance application of the Cardiff Grammar to the studies of Chinese.Meanwhile,the study will be conducive to the learning and teaching of Chinese causative constructions as well.