Functional projections and thematic role assignment in Chinese
The question that motivates this thesis is how to account for the semi-free word order of Chinese. This is addressed in terms of the licensing mechanisms that are operative in Chinese. The theoretical context of this investigation in the current emphasis on the use of functional categories to explain syntactic phenomena. The past few years have seen an explosion in the range of functional categories assumed to be available and relevant in the construction of a syntactic analysis. The proliferation of functional categories brings with it a change in the emphasis of grammar, whereby the burden of syntactic explanation has shifted from the substantive elements to the functional elements. This has had far reaching consequences for theories of parametric variation. If the surface properties of a language are determined by the functional categories, then differences in surface properties must be determined by differences in the functional categories. It follows from this that the locus of parametric variation will be the lexical properties of the functional categories involved. We therefore expect all languages to display equivalent complexity in the functional lexicon. The research on functional categories, however,
Rhys, Catrin SiaÌn
Functional projections and thematic role assignment in Chinese. The question that motivates this thesis is how to account for the semi-free word order of Chinese. This is addressed in terms of the licensing mechanisms that are operative in Chinese. The theoretical context of this investigation in the current emphasis on the use of functional categories to explain syntactic phenomena. The past few years have seen an explosion in the range of functional categories assumed to be available and relevant in the construction of a syntactic analysis. The proliferation of functional categories brings with it a change in the emphasis of grammar, whereby the burden of syntactic explanation has shifted from the substantive elements to the functional elements. This has had far reaching consequences for theories of parametric variation. If the surface properties of a language are determined by the functional categories, then differences in surface properties must be determined by differences in the functional categories. It follows from this that the locus of parametric variation will be the lexical properties of the functional categories involved. We therefore expect all languages to display equivalent complexity in the functional lexicon. The research on functional categories, however,
functional_projection thematic_role assignment chinese question motivate account semi free_word order chinese addressed term license mechanism operative chinese theoretical context investigation current emphasis use functional_category explain syntactic_phenomenon see explosion range functional_category assume available relevant construction syntactic_analysis proliferation functional_category bring change emphasis grammar whereby burden syntactic explanation shift substantive element functional element far reach consequence theory parametric variation surface property language determine functional_category difference surface property must determine difference functional_category follow locus parametric variation lexical property_functional category involve therefore expect language display equivalent complexity functional lexicon functional_category however