<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Taking “sluicing” to be derived by movement + deletion, as represented by <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_scl-2017-0004_ref_025_w2aab3b7b1b1b6b1ab1ac25Aa">Merchant (2001)</xref>, and “pseudo-sluicing” to be a base-generated structure [<italic>pro</italic> (+<italic>be</italic>) + <italic>wh</italic>] (going by <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_scl-2017-0004_ref_037_w2aab3b7b1b1b6b1ab1ac37Aa">Wei 2004</xref>; Adams 2004), this paper reviews arguments for and against the presence of a sluicing construction in Mandarin Chinese. We show that all the tests available in the literature do not argue against the presence of such a sluicing construction, except the test building on the distribution of the copula <italic>shi</italic>. Unfortunately, the <italic>shi</italic> test is demonstrated to be uncertain and it cannot be used to argue conclusively that only a base-generation pseudo-sluicing analysis should be adopted. We show that a much clear evidence for an exclusive pseudo-sluicing analysis comes from the behavior of the sprouting construction. Investigation of sprouting also sheds light on the properties of null arguments, topic-variable relation, locality, and subcategorization of verbs in the language.</abstract>

Sluicing, Sprouting and Missing Objects

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The paper discusses the universality of the final-over-final condition (FOFC). It has been proposed that sentence-final particles (SFPs) in Chinese may invalidate the universality of FOFC. This paper argues that the challenge from SFPs is inconclusive since the evidence for the head status of SFPs is lacking. On the other hand, the leftward complement of N0 in Chinese (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_scl-2017-0005_ref_021_w2aab3b7b2b1b6b1ab1ac21Aa">Huang 2016</xref>) poses a greater threat to FOFC. However, it is argued that the violation is caused by a language-particular word order constraint due to Case directionality (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_scl-2017-0005_ref_028_w2aab3b7b2b1b6b1ab1ac28Aa">Li 1990</xref>). Relating the syntactic FOFC violation to the word order constraint in compounds, it is proposed that FOFC may be understood as an instance of the shape conservation principle (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_scl-2017-0005_ref_068_w2aab3b7b2b1b6b1ab1ac68Aa">Williams 2003</xref>), where the language-particular constraint is satisfied at the expense of a minimal violation of the universal condition.</abstract>

Remarks on the Final-over-Final Condition: A View from Chinese Head-Final Structures

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">This article proposes an analysis of the Motion-Directional Construction in Chinese in the Conceptual-Cognitive approach as outlined by Jackendoff and Langacker. This article first argues that the Motion-Directional Construction consists of conceptual subordination, expressing different mental spaces. Then, it examines the syntactic and semantic behaviors of the construction arguing that it is more like a constructional idiom. In particular, we discuss the case of <italic>pa</italic> ‘climb’ and generalize further that the motion verbs in Chinese typically express manners of movement. Within the Conceptual Semantics, we argue that a level of grammatical relation may not be necessary; it is the argument and conceptual structures that we need in the cognitive structure. Finally, we present the data and suggest the typological relevance of the Motion-Directional Construction.</abstract>

Chinese Motion-Directional Construction: A Conceptual and Cognitive Analysis

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Studies in Chinese Linguistics

 STUDIES IN CHINESE LINGUISTICS (ISSN 1017-1274) is an international academic journal devoted to comparative study of Chinese language and linguistics and a platform for research of comparative linguistics and dialectal grammar under a comparative approach. It was first published in 1980 by T.T. Ng Chinese Language Research Centre (CLRC) of the Institute of Chinese Studies at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The journal is edited by CLRC, published and distributed by Sciendo (formerly De Gruyter Open) since 2015, with a single volume yearly containing two issues, three articles in each issue on average. We especially welcome synchronic or diachronic comparative works on any aspects of the syntax, semantics, and morphology among Chinese dialects or between a Chinese language/dialect and any languages that contribute to theoretical linguistics or have significant theoretical implications.  The journal does not have article processing charges (APCs) nor article submission charges.  Rejection Rate   64%   Archiving  Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections.  Plagiarism Policy  The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process. 

Studies in Chinese Linguistics

Volume 38 (2017): Issue 2 (December 2017)

Sluicing, Sprouting and Missing Objects

Remarks on the Final-over-Final Condition: A View from Chinese Head-Final Structures

Chinese Motion-Directional Construction: A Conceptual and Cognitive Analysis

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