Some constraints on temporal predicative sentences in Chinese

Abstract

本文论证了汉语名词谓语实际上受制于指示限制:具有指示作用的时间词不能做谓语。除了解释时间词以外,本文还指出,凡是有定的成分都不能做谓语。从功能角度来考虑,谓语的无定要求跟句子的新旧信息分布有关。 Some temporal nominals cannot function as predicates in Chinese nominal predicative sentences. It is suggested in the literature that non-ordinal temporal nominals and relative temporal nominals cannot be predicates. In this paper, we argue that Chinese predicate nominals are subject to a deictic constraint: temporal nominals that have a meaning of deixis cannot function as predicates. We further argue that all definites cannot be predicates. From a functional point of view, indefinite requirement of predicates is related to the distribution of new/old information in a sentence: given information precedes new information. Predicates are normally indefinites that express new information.