Semantics of the Chinese passive construction with retained object
The Chinese Passive Construction with Retained Object (CPCRO) has aroused extensive attention from scholars especially advocators of Generative Grammar due to its syntactic idiosyncrasy. Previous researches primarily concerned with such syntactic idiosyncrasy concentrate on issues of its syntactic derivation but fail to provide an empirically responsible and consensual explanation for all its instantiations. This paper initiates a new perspective by focusing on its semantics on the basis of Construction Grammar. It is argued that CPCRO is a construction with its constructional meaning characterized by a causative meaning that profiles the causee’s change. This passive causative meaning is elaborated by three verb-class-specific semantic variants, i.e., the passive cause-motion variant associated with motion verbs or verbs entailing motion and specifying the causee’s change of location, the passive cause-result variant associated with verbs of making or creating and specifying the causee’s change of state, and the passive cause-receive/lose variant associated with ditransitive verbs or verbs with the potential of taking double objects and specifying the causee’s change of possession. They are structured into a polysemy network in the sense that the passive cause-result variant is metaphorically extended from the passive cause-motion variant, whereas the passive cause-receive/lose variant encoding the object-dual-based conceptualization of Event Structure directly relates to the passive cause-motion variant which encodes the location-dual-based conceptualization, and indirectly to the passive cause-result variant which preserves the location-dual-based conceptualization due to the invariance principle of metaphorical mapping, through profile shift.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.The scope of CPCRO
- 3.Constructional meaning of CPCRO
- 4.Polysemy of CPCRO
- 5.Relations between semantic variants of CPCRO
- 6.Conclusion
- Note
-
References
References (56)
References
Baron, I., & Herslund, M. (2001). Semantics of the verb HAVE. In I. Baron, M. Herslund & F. Sørensen (Eds.), Dimensions of possession (pp. 85–98). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Bi, L. (2020). Hanyu daibin beidongju xianxiang yu daibin beidongju yanjiu [The study of passives with retained objects in Mandarin]. Hanyu Xuexi [Chinese Language Learning], (1), 57–65.
Cao, X. (1999).
Lun Heng beidong jushi yanjiu [The study of passive constructions in Lun Heng
]. Guhanyu Yanjiu [Research in Ancient Chinese Language], (2), 79–84.
Cappelle, B. (2006). Particle placement and the case for “allostructions”. Constructions, (Special Volume 11), 1–28.
Freeze, R. (2001). Existential constructions. In M. Haspelmath (Ed.), Language typology and language universals: An international handbook (pp. 941–953). Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Geeraerts, D. (2010). Theories of lexical semantics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Goldberg, A. E. (1995). Constructions: A construction grammar approach to argument structure. Chicago/London: The University of Chicago Press.
Goldberg, A. E. (2006). Constructions at work: The nature of generalization in language. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Goldberg, A. E., Casenhiser, D. M., & Sethuraman, N. (2004). Learning argument structure generalizations. Cognitive Linguistics, (3), 289–316.
Han, J., & Pan, H. (2016). Hanyu baoliu binyu jiegou jufa shengcheng de zuijian fenxi [A minimalist account of the syntactic derivation of Chinese retained object constructions]. Yuyan Jiaoxue Yu Yanjiu [Language Teaching and Linguistic Studies], (3), 41–53.
Hu, W. (2005). Yetan Baziju de yufa yiyi [Revisiting the grammatical meaning of the Ba-construction]. Yuyan Yanjiu [Studies in Language and Linguistics], (2), 21–28.
Jackendoff, R. (1983). Semantics and cognition. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Lakoff, G. (1990). The invariance hypothesis: Is abstract reason based on image-schemas? Cognitive Linguistics, (1), 39–74.
Lakoff, G. (1993a). The contemporary theory of metaphor. In A. Ortony (Ed.), Metaphor and thought (2nd edn.) (pp. 202–251). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Lakoff, G. (1993b). The metaphor system and its role in grammar. In U. Eco, M. Santambrogio & P. Violi (Eds.), Papers from the parasession on the correspondence of conceptual, semantic and grammatical representations (pp. 217–241). Chicago: Chicago Linguistic Society.
Lakoff, G. (1994). What is a conceptual system? In W. F. Overton & D. S. Palermo (Eds.), The nature and ontogenesis of meaning (pp. 41–90). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1999). Philosophy in the flesh: The embodied mind and its challenge to Western thought. New York: Basic Books.
Langacker, R. W. (1987). Foundations of cognitive grammar (I): Theoretical prerequisites. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Li, L. (1980). Beiziju [Bei-sentences]. Zhongguo Yuwen [Studies of the Chinese Language], (6), 401–412.
Li, L. (1988). Hanyu bijiao bianhuan yufa [Comparative and transformational grammar in Chinese]. Beijing: China Social Sciences Press.
Li, L. (2011/1986). Xiandai hanyu juxing [Sentence patterns in Modern Chinese]. Beijing: The Commercial Press.
Lin, D., & Xie, C. (2003). Hudong yuyanxue de fazhan licheng jiqi qianjing [Interactional linguistics: Developments and prospects]. Xiandai Waiyu [Modern Foreign Languages], (4), 411–418.
Liu, P. (2009). Xiandai hanyu Baziju de duojiaodu tanjiu [Multi-dimensional studies on Ba-construction in Modern Chinese]. Wuhan: Central China Normal University Press.
Lü, S. (1999). Hanyu yufa lunwenji [A collection on Chinese grammar]. Beijing: The Commercial Press. (Originally published in 1965 with the title “Beiziju, Baziju dongci dai binyu [Bei-construction and Ba-construction with objects after the verb]” in Zhongguo Yuwen [Studies of the Chinese Language], (4).)
Lü, W. (1990). Beiziju zhong de jizu yuyi guanxi [Several semantic relations within the Bei-construction]. Shijie Hanyu Jiaoxue [Chinese Teaching in the World], (2), 91–97.
Ma, Z. (2013). Jiyu xiayi lingshu guanxi lun lingzhuju, baoliu binyu beidongju yu qiangduolei shuangbinju de guanlianxing [On the interrelations among three types of constructions with affected arguments in Chinese (UCPP, PCRO and DOCM): From a perspective of possessor-possessee relationship in the narrow sense]. Huawen Jiaoxue Yu Yanjiu [TCSOL Studies], (3), 66–71.
Ma, Z., & Tian, Q. (2015). Hanyu youbin chang Beiziju de shengcheng jizhi yanjiu [A study on the generative mechanism of Chinese Bei sentences with subjects and objects: On the distinction and complementarity between different linguistic theories]. Jiefangjun Waiguoyu Xueyuan Xuebao [Journal of PLA University of Foreign Languages], (2), 8–15, 31.
Norvig, P., & Lakoff, G. (1987). Taking: A study in lexical network theory. Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society, (13), 195–206.
Pan, H., & Han, J. (2008). Hanyu baoliu binyu jiegou de jufa shengcheng jizhi [The syntactic mechanism of retained object constructions in Chinese]. Zhongguo Yuwen [Studies of the Chinese Language], (6), 511–522.
Shen, J. (2002). Ruhe chuzhi chuzhishi: Shilun Baziju de zhuguanxing [Can the disposal construction be disposed of: On the subjectivity of Ba-construction in Mandarin Chinese]. Zhongguo Yuwen [Studies of the Chinese Language], (5), 387–399.
Shen, J. (2010). Yinghan foudingci de fenhe he mingdong de fenhe [Division of negatives and noun/verb division in English and Chinese]. Zhongguo Yuwen [Studies of the Chinese Language], (5), 387–399.
Shi, C. (2006). Baziju de paisheng guocheng jiqi xiangguan wenti [The derived process of Ba-construction and its relevant problems]. Yufa Yanjiu He Tanshuo [Explorations in Grammar], 131, 49–70.
Shi, C. (2010). Cong jushiqun kan Baziju ji xiangguan jushi de yufa yiyi [A study of the grammatical meanings of the Ba-construction and other relevant constructions from the perspective of construction group]. Shijie Hanyu Jiaoxue [Chinese Teaching in the World], (3), 291–309.
Shi, C. (2015). Bianyuan Baziju de yuyi lijie he jufa gouzao [Semantics and syntax of peripheral Ba-constructions]. Yuyan Jiaoxue Yu Yanjiu [Language Teaching and Linguistic Studies], (6), 53–66.
Sørensen, F. (2001). Possession spaces in Danish. In I. Baron, M. Herslund & F. Sørensen (Eds.), Dimensions of possession (pp. 57–66). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Tang, S.-W. (2004). Zuogehua he hanyu beidongju [Ergativization and Chinese passives]. Zhongguo Yuwen [Studies of the Chinese Language], (4), 291–301.
Wang, H. (1957). Baziju he Beiziju [Ba-construction and Bei-construction]. Shanghai: Shanghai Educational Publishing House.
Wang, H. (2003). Baziju de yiyi jiujing shi shenme [What is the meaning of Ba-construction]. Yuwen Yanjiu [Linguistic Research], (2), 35–40.
Wang, J., & Zhou, B. (2016). Dai baoliu binyu de beidongju yu qiangtoulei shuangbinju de shenceng jufa lianxi [The syntactic relations between Chinese passive construction with a retained object and double object construction]. Xiandai Waiyu [Modern Foreign Languages], (1), 31–41.
Wang, L. (1943). Zhongguo xiandai yufa [Chinese modern grammar]. Beijing: The Commercial Press.
Wen, X. (2014). Yuyan de renzhi jichu [Cognitive Foundations of Language]. Beijing: Science Press.
Wen, X., & Jiang, C. (2019). Jiyu cengjiguan he hudongguan de hanyu dongjie goushi jufa yuyi jiemian fenxi [Hierarchical and interactional approach to syntax-semantics interface of Chinese resultative construction]. Waiyu Jiaoxue [Foreign Language Education], (4), 28–33.
Xiong, Z. (2015). Hanyu fei lingshuxing baoliu binyuju de jufa fenxi [A syntactic analysis of the non-possessive retained object construction]. Huawen Jiaoxue Yu Yanjiu [TCSOL Studies], (1), 57–65.
Xu, J. (1999). Liangzhong baoliu binyu jushi ji xiangguan jufa lilun wenti [Some theoretical issues of the two types of Chinese ‘retained-object’ constructions]. Dangdai Yuyanxue [Contemporary Linguistics], (1), 16–29.
Xue, F. (1987). Shilun Baziju de yuyi tezheng [On semantic features of Ba-constructions]. Yuyan Jiaoxue Yu Yanjiu [Language Teaching and Linguistic Studies], (1), 4–22.
Yu, Y. (2019). Zailun shuangbinyuju de goushi yuyi [Re-discussion on the constructional meaning of double object sentence]. Hanyu Xuexi [Chinese Language Learning], (3), 56–68.
Yuan, B. (1989).
Zu Tang Ji beidongju yanjiu [A study on passive sentences in Zu Tang Ji
]. Zhongguo Yuwen [Studies of the Chinese Language], (1), 53–63.
Yue, H., & Wu, H. (2019). Baoliu binyu beidongju yunzhun de lingshu guanxi leixing ji renzhi fenxi [Types of possessive relationship and cognitive analysis on the licensing of PRCO]. Shijie Hanyu Jiaoxue [Chinese Teaching in the World], (1), 58–69.
Zhang, B. (1999). Xiandai hanyu de shuangjiwu jiegoushi [Ditransitive construction in Modern Chinese]. Zhongguo Yuwen [Studies of the Chinese Language], (3), 175–184.
Zhang, G. (2001). Zhiyue duoshi chengfen juwei shixian de yuyi yinsu [The semantic constraints on the syntactic mapping of the “deprived” constituent]. Zhongguo Yuwen [Studies of the Chinese Language], (6), 508–518.
Cited by (1)
Cited by one other publication
Lai, Ryan Ka Yau
2024.
Beyond anaphoric and emphatic: diversity and unity in the functions of literary Chinese reflexive zì
.
Folia Linguistica 58:1
► pp. 79 ff.
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 4 july 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers.
Any errors therein should be reported to them.