1.Introduction创新.PDFVIP

[In Bulletin of the Chinese Linguistic Society of Japan 253: 1-43 (2006)] Resultatives and Unaccusatives: a Parametric View C.-T. James Huang Harvard University Abstract. This paper capitalizes on two peculiar properties of Mandarin Chinese resultative constructions that pose problems for a general theory of argument structure and parametric theory: (a) the widespread existence of unergative objectless resultatives, and (b) the possibility for both unaccusatives and unergatives to be causativized. It is proposed that these properties are reduced to the single possibility in Chinese (but not in English) for an unergative verb to merge as a manner modifier of an inchoative eventuality predicate BECOME in event structure. This parametric property is in turn reduced to a property of Chinese as a language of high analyticity. In opposition to certain recent models, the paper argues for the existence of a syntax-lexicon macro-parameter. Key words: resultatives, unaccusatives, analyticity, event structure, Chinese 1. Introduction Resultatives occupy a central place in current linguistic theory, because of the important role they play in illuminating the nature of lexical semantics and its relationship with syntax on the one hand and with conceptual semantics on the other. In Chinese, resultatives have enjoyed the continuous attention of researchers over the last several decades. These constructions come in two formal varieties: the V-V resultative compound and the V-de VP resultative phrase:1 (1) Zhangsan ku-shi-le shoupa. Zhangsan cry-wet-Perf handkerchief ‘Zhangsan cried the handkerchief wet.’ (2) Zhangsan ku-de shoupa dou shi le. Zhangsan