Duration and frequency NPs and Chinese verb phrase

Ma, Li-Li (1994) Duration and frequency NPs and Chinese verb phrase. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Duration and Frequency NPs (D/F NPs) pose problems for Case theory and theta theory in Chinese. They complicate the analysis of Chinese VP structure and word order as well. -- This thesis proposes a disjunctive theory of Case assignment for object NPs and oblique Case for adjunct NPs (mainly duration and frequency NPs) in Chinese. The hypothesis is based on the phenomenon of definiteness existed in Chinese VP structure. There is a correlation between Case and definiteness underlying the language. Problems of postverbal two constituents caused by D/F NPs are explained with the proposed Case system. -- Chapter Three investigates Case assigned to adjunct NPs in Chinese. It is shown that Chinese adjunct NPs are assigned oblique Case uniformly, regardless of their positions (i.e. preverbal or postverbal) in the sentence. This oblique Case is assigned by the [+F] feature of the head noun. -- Chapter Four deals with Case assignment to object NPs. A theory of Case assignment according to the definiteness of the affected NP is proposed. The Chinese VP structure is constrained by a Double Oblique Case Constraint. -- Chapter Five examines the relationship between this Case proposal and the Chinese X' structure. It is shown that this Case system can be adapted to a VP-shell structure and that it can be adapted to Chomsky's (1993) Minimalist program.

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