Deriving various affected subjects in bei-passives

Yu-yin Hsu, Jun Chen

Research output: Chapter in book / Conference proceedingConference article published in proceeding or bookAcademic researchpeer-review

Abstract

This paper investigates the thematic types and derivations of subjects in Mandarin bei-passives. Based on an examination of the categorial status of bei discussed in the literature, we try a new approach by adopting Liu and Huang’s view that the mechanism of deriving bei-passives is argument raising (in which bei is a semi-lexical verb heading the Voice projection), and propose a simplified and unified account of bei-passives’ Experiencer and Possessor subjects, as well as their typical Patient subjects. Specifically, we propose that the high applicative gei proposed in Hsu and Qu can account structurally for the source of the Experiencer in bei-passives. We then present how the structure proposed in this paper accounts for Possessor related subjects in bei-passives, and explain the interpretations and the possible derivation of an extra implicit affected subject in bei-passives.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationChinese Lexical Semantics
Subtitle of host publication21st Workshop, CLSW 2020 Hong Kong, China, May 28–30, 2020 Revised Selected Papers
EditorsMeichun Liu, Chunyu Kit, Qi Su
PublisherSpringer Cham
Pages276-287
Number of pages12
ISBN (Electronic)9783030811976
ISBN (Print)9783030811969
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 26 Jul 2021

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science
PublisherSpringer
Volume12278
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349
NameLecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence
PublisherSpringer
ISSN (Print)2945-9133
ISSN (Electronic)2945-9141

Keywords

  • Bei passives
  • Raising
  • High applicative
  • Implicit subject
  • Gei ‘give’
  • Mandarin

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