Passivization and composite A/Ā-movement in the Mandarin bei-construction
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11292064 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Fulang Chen (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 43 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 2395-2481 |
| Publication date | 2025-11-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Natural Language and Linguistic Theory (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0167-806X • E-ISSN: 1573-0859 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11049-025-09669-1 |
| OpenAlex | W4411211888 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 80 |
The bei -construction in Mandarin is a well-studied construction known for exhibiting both passive-like properties and tough -movement-like properties (see e.g., Feng 1995, 2012; Ting 1995a, 1998; Huang 1999; Tang 2001; Huang et al. 2009; Bruening and Tran 2015; a.o.). In this paper, I argue for a novel analysis of the bei -construction in Mandarin as a passive construction where the passive head/ bei hosts a composite probe [φ+Ā], which triggers composite A/Ā-movement, in the sense of Van Urk (2015). The subject in the bei -construction is derived via (successive-cyclic) composite A/Ā-movement, followed by a terminating step of A-movement, similar to Longenbaugh’s (2017) analysis of English tough -movement. Under the proposed analysis, the mixed A/Ā-properties associated with the bei -construction are direct consequences of composite A/Ā-movement (following Van Urk 2015; Longenbaugh 2017). The proposed analysis of the bei -construction accounts for two restrictions on long-distance dependencies in the bei -construction – a requirement that no overt, case-less NPs should intervene between the subject of bei and the gap in agent-less bei -constructions, and a subject/object contrast with respect to the possibility of crossing a finite clause boundary to become the subject of bei
Aesthetics · Algorithm · Art · Composite number · Linguistics · Mandarin Chinese · Communication · Computer Science · Natural Language Processing Techniques · Philosophy · Phonetics and Phonology Research · Psychology · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation
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| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |