Following the movement/internal-merge analysis of English relativization,many linguists argue for a similar approach to Chinese relativization(believing that there is operator movement or head raising in the derivatio...Following the movement/internal-merge analysis of English relativization,many linguists argue for a similar approach to Chinese relativization(believing that there is operator movement or head raising in the derivation of the Chinese relative structure).This paper argues for a no-movement/external-merge analysis of Chinese relativization because six syntactic features in the Chinese relative structure point to systematic differences between Chinese and English.The no-movement/external-merge analysis of Chinese relativization shows that,although internal merge and external merge are two universal syntactical operations under the minimalist framework in Chomsky(1995),whether the syntax of a certain structure in a certain language involves internal merge or external merge may be language specific.Therefore,before applying the specific syntax of a certain structure in a certain language to the syntax of a corresponding structure in another language,a systematic study of the syntactic characteristics of the two structures must be done.展开更多
基金support from the National Humanities and Social Sciences Foundation of China (Grant No. 15BYY070)
文摘Following the movement/internal-merge analysis of English relativization,many linguists argue for a similar approach to Chinese relativization(believing that there is operator movement or head raising in the derivation of the Chinese relative structure).This paper argues for a no-movement/external-merge analysis of Chinese relativization because six syntactic features in the Chinese relative structure point to systematic differences between Chinese and English.The no-movement/external-merge analysis of Chinese relativization shows that,although internal merge and external merge are two universal syntactical operations under the minimalist framework in Chomsky(1995),whether the syntax of a certain structure in a certain language involves internal merge or external merge may be language specific.Therefore,before applying the specific syntax of a certain structure in a certain language to the syntax of a corresponding structure in another language,a systematic study of the syntactic characteristics of the two structures must be done.
