The copular construction with a comparative interpretation in mandarin and Cantonese

Abstract

文章着重讨论普通话和粤语中一种形 如"NP1-系词-NP2-结构助词-AP"的系词句,这种句子含有比较义。普通话和粤语在这种句子上表现出差异,究其缘由,在于二者在空语类性质上有差 别:普通话的空语类可以具备指称能力,但粤语的这种空语类基本上是无指的。在有相关的允准条件下,二者又呈现一定的共性:普通话和粤语这类句子的比较义是 基础生成的,"是/系"仍是系词,只是跟典型的系词有所不同。这类句子的存在,跟汉语没有形式主语有关。 This paper focuses on the copular construction with a comparative interpretation "NP1-copula-NP2-attributive marker-AP" in Mandarin and Cantonese.It is argued that the dialectal differences are attributed to the parametric analysis of empty categories.The empty category modified by the attributive "NP2" can be interpreted as referential in Mandarin while it is non-referential in Cantonese.Regardless of their differences,such kind of empty categories are subject to some licensing condition that applies to both Mandarin and Cantonese.It is also pointed out that such kind of copular construction is base-generated and its existence may be related to the lack of dummy subject in Chinese.