Postgraduate Thesis: The syntax of the ti construction in Tunxi Hui
| Title | The syntax of the ti construction in Tunxi Hui |
|---|---|
| Authors | Lu, Wen 陸文 |
| Issue Date | 2012 |
| Publisher | The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) |
| Abstract | This thesis is a study of the syntax of the ti construction in Tunxi Hui, an understudied Hui dialect in the Sinitic family of languages. The aims of this these are three-fold: (i) to provide a sketch of the syntax of Tunxi Hui, and (ii) to explore the polyfunctionality of the ti morpheme and the syntax of the ti construction in Tunxi Hui, and (iii) to examine the north-south division of passive markers particularly with respect to languages in Anhui Province, and the type of passive marker the Tunxi Hui ti belongs to, as well as some properties of the ti passive construction. This thesis explores the polyfunctionality of the ti morpheme in Tunxi Hui, as a lexical verb ‘give’ and as a coverb. When ti is a lexical verb, the construction it appears in is a double object construction (DOC), and the linear order of the two objects has to be the recipient NP before the Theme NP. When ti is a coverb, it is often found in a serial verb construction (SVC) or a pivotal construction. As far as an SVC is concerned, the coverb ti can serve as a recipient marker, a benefactive marker or a locative marker. Otherwise, if the coveb ti occurs in a pivotal construction where the two or more verbs in the sentence do not share the same structural subject, it can serve as a permissive marker, a causative marker or a passive marker. With respect to passive markers, we first give an overview of the types of passives markers in Sinitic languages. Aside from the bei passives, we also have the zhuo ‘attach’ passives, the causative passives and the ‘give’-passives. We propose a revision of Hashimoto’s (1988) north-south division of passive markers, i.e. the causative passives versus the ‘give’-passives, particularly with respect to languages of Anhui Province. We find that the passive marker ti in Tunxi Hui belongs to the give type of passives. The ti passive construction in Tunxi Hui is characterized by the obligatory occurrence of an agent phrase and the semantic implication of adversity. It is hoped that this study can contribute to the understanding of the syntax of the ti construction in Tunxi Hui, and can provide useful authentic data of an understudied language for further linguistic analyses. |
| Advisors | Bodomo, AB Lam, OSC |
| Degree | Master of Philosophy |
| Subject | Chinese language - Dialects - Syntax. - China - Tunxi Shi |
| Dept/Program | Linguistics |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Bodomo, AB |
|---|---|
| dc.contributor.advisor | Lam, OSC |
| dc.contributor.author | Lu, Wen |
| dc.contributor.author | 陸文 |
| dc.date.hkucongregation | 2012 |
| dc.date.issued | 2012 |
| dc.description.abstract | This thesis is a study of the syntax of the ti construction in Tunxi Hui, an understudied Hui dialect in the Sinitic family of languages. The aims of this these are three-fold: (i) to provide a sketch of the syntax of Tunxi Hui, and (ii) to explore the polyfunctionality of the ti morpheme and the syntax of the ti construction in Tunxi Hui, and (iii) to examine the north-south division of passive markers particularly with respect to languages in Anhui Province, and the type of passive marker the Tunxi Hui ti belongs to, as well as some properties of the ti passive construction. This thesis explores the polyfunctionality of the ti morpheme in Tunxi Hui, as a lexical verb ‘give’ and as a coverb. When ti is a lexical verb, the construction it appears in is a double object construction (DOC), and the linear order of the two objects has to be the recipient NP before the Theme NP. When ti is a coverb, it is often found in a serial verb construction (SVC) or a pivotal construction. As far as an SVC is concerned, the coverb ti can serve as a recipient marker, a benefactive marker or a locative marker. Otherwise, if the coveb ti occurs in a pivotal construction where the two or more verbs in the sentence do not share the same structural subject, it can serve as a permissive marker, a causative marker or a passive marker. With respect to passive markers, we first give an overview of the types of passives markers in Sinitic languages. Aside from the bei passives, we also have the zhuo ‘attach’ passives, the causative passives and the ‘give’-passives. We propose a revision of Hashimoto’s (1988) north-south division of passive markers, i.e. the causative passives versus the ‘give’-passives, particularly with respect to languages of Anhui Province. We find that the passive marker ti in Tunxi Hui belongs to the give type of passives. The ti passive construction in Tunxi Hui is characterized by the obligatory occurrence of an agent phrase and the semantic implication of adversity. It is hoped that this study can contribute to the understanding of the syntax of the ti construction in Tunxi Hui, and can provide useful authentic data of an understudied language for further linguistic analyses. |
| dc.description.nature | published_or_final_version |
| dc.description.thesisdiscipline | Linguistics |
| dc.description.thesislevel | master's |
| dc.description.thesisname | Master of Philosophy |
| dc.identifier.hkul | b4786973 |
| dc.language | eng |
| dc.publisher | The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) |
| dc.relation.ispartof | HKU Theses Online (HKUTO) |
| dc.rights | The author retains all proprietary rights, (such as patent rights) and the right to use in future works. |
| dc.rights | Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License |
| dc.source.uri | http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B47869732 |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Chinese language - Dialects - Syntax. - China - Tunxi Shi |
| dc.title | The syntax of the ti construction in Tunxi Hui |
| dc.type | PG_Thesis |