Abstract
This paper investigates the distribution of Topics and Foci in the low IP area and the left periphery in Mandarin along the lines of the Cartographic Approach. Our investigation reveals that the CP domain can host a wide range of Topics and Foci, each of which occupies a dedicated syntactic position. In contrast, the low IP area can only host a single Topic position, which is located above the Foci. Comparing the distribution of Topics and Foci in the two domains further shows that they are not completely parallel to each other. More specifically, the CP domain is "richer" than the low IP area insofar as the inventory of Topics is concerned. Furthermore, the CP domain has a number of Topic positions but the low IP area has only one.
| Translated title of the contribution | On the distribution of Topics and Foci in Mandarin: a Cartographic solution |
|---|---|
| Original language | Chinese (Simplified) |
| Pages (from-to) | 10-17 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | 现代外语 (Modern foreign languages) |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2013 |
| Externally published | Yes |