韵律制约的被动句复指代词

Prosodically Constrained Resumptive Pronouns in Long Passives

粤语和普通话的'畀/被'长被动句均容许内嵌动词后出现与句首主语同指的复指代词。过往学者虽然观察到长被动句复指代词的显形与否似有限制,可是其限制的具体情况和背后动因却鲜有人论及。本文指出长被动句中出现复指代词时,其后必须有频率短语/持续时间短语等额外成分;而额外成分的添加,并非为了拯救语法,或受语义驱使,而是韵律制约下的必然结果,是自然焦点与事件强调交互作用下的语言现象。

It is observed that in both Mandarin and Cantonese direct long passives,whenever there is a resumptive pronoun(RP)embedded,there must be an extra constituent(such as a frequency phrase)followed the RP.The constraint imposed is not driven by syntax nor semantics,but is created by the interaction between the Nuclear Stress Rule(NSR)and the focus structure.NSR prohibits the RP to sit in the NS position;meanwhile the narrow focus falling on the VP cannot be realized by the RP alone,therefore an extra constituent is needed to act as a prosodic compensating device.