APPLICATIVE AND THE DOUBLE OBJECT CONSTRUCTION IN MANDARIN CHINESE

Abstract

In this paper I examine Paul and Whitman's (2010) Raising Applicative Hypothesis for the Mandarin V-GEI double object construction. This hypothesis posits a single applicative projection which hosts both base-generated and raised applied NPs. Although this proposal is quite intriguing, I show that the major argument for the raising applicative proposal is not tenable. However, the IO-raising mechanism involved in the raising applicative proposal is still worth pursuing. Following Citko (2011), I then propose a revised low applicative analysis which imposes a light applicative projection in the Mandarin V-GEI double object construction. The revised structure not only captures all the relevant features examined in this paper for the Mandarin V-GEI double object construction, but also echoes the proposal by Soh (2005) who suggests the co-occurrence of a low applicative and a functional projection for the Mandarin double object construction.