Abstract:
Mei-Cl-NP
1+V+
Mei-Cl-NP
2+
De+NP
3sentences involve the unique Mandarin phenomenon of "
Mei" -phrase as a bound variable,which has not been discussed in depth in previous studies.From the perspective of generative grammar and formal semantics,the paper holds that
Mei-Cl-NP
2is bound by the universal quantifier phrase
Mei-Cl-NP
1,and its function is to help NP
3become a variable so that NP
1and NP
3can form a matching relationship.Syntactically,this use observes the constraints imposed by Binding Theory.
Mei-Cl-NP
2cannot be a co-argument with its antecedent,and has to be a modifier of the co-argument.Semantically,NP
3cannot be definite,and the cardinality of the set it denotes must be greater than one.According to whether NP
3is unique for NP
2in real life,the construction has two types of semantics:a one-to-one relation and a non-many-to-one relation between NP
2and NP
3.
Mei-Cl-NP
2is ambiguous,though the bound variable reading is salient in some cases,which is usually related to individuality or non-repeatability of the event in question.The paper also points out that
yi-Cl-NP,
ge,and shui with the help of dou can all have the same pattern as
mei-Cl-NP
2,though they have different matching requirements.