Mental state, volition and argument realization

Abstract

ABSTRACT: We explore argument realization in the resultative V- de construction under the framework of the Theta System. We find that the theta grids of the resultative V- de construction are of two types, i.e., ([+c-m], [-c]) and ([+cm], [-m]), depending on the (a-)thematic relation between the verb and second/internal argument. Crucially, the external argument always has a /-m feature (the minus value of the mental state), regardless of its animacy, leading to a non-volitional Agent reading (animate) and a Cause reading (inanimate). It is due to this [+c-m] feature cluster that the construction yields an unintended result reading, which captures its preference for the occurrence of dou ‘unexpectedly’ in the construction. In this sense, the resultative V- de construction can be considered as a non-volitional counterpart to its de -less counterpart. This contrast signals the grammatical/morphological coding of volition, with the assistance of de , in Mandarin Chinese. As for the internal argument, it can be either [-c] or [-m], and their syntactic and semantic differences lend credence to the distinction between “outer objects” and “outermost objects”. The syntactic distribution of [-c] is sensitive to animacy, with animate [-c] being allowed to in both [NP1 V- de NP2 XP] and [NP1 ba -NP2 V- de XP], and inanimate [-c] in [NP1 ba -NP2 V- de XP] only, due to the interactions between animacy and case. As for [-m], it occurs in [NP1 V- de NP2 XP], in which NP2 is not thematically related to V and ba -introduction is barred. This study enriches the Theta System with Chinese data, in special regard to how animacy, mental state, and volition may affect argument realization. 摘要: 本文在 Theta 系统理论框架下探讨[V-得]结构的论元实现方式。该构式 有两种不同的论元结构，即([+c-m], [-c])和([+c-m], [-m])，两者的差 异在于动词和内论元之间是否有述谓关系(thematic relation)。两种论 元结构有一个重要的共同点，即外论元不具有心理状态的特性(即/-m)。 具体而言，不管外论元是否具有生命性，该论元都没有执行动作的意 愿性。生命性这一语义特征只能影响外论元的具体语义解读：如果外 论元是有生命名词，该论元解读为无意愿性“施事”论元；如果外论 元是无生命名词，该论元则解读为“原因”论元。不管具体解读如何， 该外论元都含有无意愿性语义特征，这也解释了为何该结构倾向于选 择具有出乎意料语义的“都”这一副词。据此，我们认为[V-得]结构 的主要功能是无意愿性构式，而“V-得”则是汉语中无意愿性语义的 语法体现。[V-得]结构的内论元具有无致使性(即[-c])或无心理性(即 [-m])，两者的句法语义差异可以证实汉语中“外论元”和“最外论元” 的存在。具体而言，无致使性内论元(即[-c])对生命性这一语义特征具 有选择性，有生命的[-c]可以允准进入[V-得]结构，承担宾语功能，即 [NP1 V- de NP2 XP]；而无生命性[-c]只能借由“把”字引入，即[NP1 ba -NP2 V- de XP]。无心理性内论元[-m]则不受生命性特征影响，不管 有无生命性，均可允准成为[V-得]结构的宾语；该宾语是“最外论 元”，与动词没有述谓关系，也不能通过把字句引入。该研究用中文 的语料丰富了 Theta 系统理论的研究；同时，该研究探讨了生命性、 心理属性和意愿性等语义特征的句法实现。