Chapter 5. Chinese syntax I

Abstract

This chapter offers a general analysis of some basic concepts and structures in Chinese syntax. It first defines major lexical categories based on the modifiability and linear order in Chinese and explains the hierarchical nature of a sentence structure. Section 5.2 then proceeds to illustrate the elements that can appear in a noun phrase, which includes classifiers and how they are related to the concept of mass versus count nouns. The definiteness and referentiality of Chinese nouns are then explored. The section ends with an introduction to nominal modifiers including relative clauses. Section 5.3 introduces postverbal and preverbal constituents. Postverbal constituents include objects, elements appearing after V-de and phrases expressing duration and frequency, as well as locative phrases for some verbs. They are closer structurally to the verb than preverbal constituents. Constituents appearing in the preverbal position include adverbs, modals and prepositional phrases. Aspect markers are then introduced. The chapter ends with an introduction to the acquisition of Chinese noun phrases, verb complements and the perfective aspect marker -le 了.