Possessive Constructions in Mandarin Chinese

Abstract

Possessive constructions in Mandarin Chinese exhibit a rich array of correlations between the possessor and possesee in the noun phrase, as well as in the verb phrase and the lexicon. They are typically manifested in the double-nominative constructions and the so-called 'possessor-subject and possessee-object' clauses. Significantly, possession interacts with the notion of definiteness, which displays interesting syntax-semantics interface in a number of constructions involving quantified and (in)definite noun phrases, raising important questions about the nature of this linguistic phenomenon. Movement, topicalisation and relativisation also characterize Chinese possessive phrases. These are..