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Cross-Componential Causativity

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Abstract

Unlike their English counterparts, Chinese resultatives allow reverse theta role assignment under predictable conditions and do not demonstrate the effect of the Direct Object Restriction. Both differences are shown to result from a single structural factor: an empty subject is not permitted in the bare resultative phrase in English. The analysis also accounts for various subtle distinctions between the lexical and bi-clausal resultative constructions inside Chinese. An implication of this theory is that the causal relation in a resultative is computed directly off of the construction and that this computation takes place in different components of language: lexicon, syntax, and the post-syntactic semantics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Linguistics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53706

    Yafei Li

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  1. Yafei Li
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Li, Y. Cross-Componential Causativity. Natural Language & Linguistic Theory 17, 445–497 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006236828263

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