Abstract
It has been claimed in the literature that gapping is prohibited in Chinese. Johnson's (1994) theory of gapping receives important support from Chinese. However, Li (1988) and Paul (1996a, b, 1999) observe some prima facie evidence for gapping in Chinese. I argue that the examples illustrated by Li and Paul are not canonical gapping sentences that are created by V-to-T movement; instead, I propose that they are empty verb sentences. Furthermore, I argue that Chinese has some gapping sentences that result from ATB movement from V to v (LPD). This paper identifies two types of gapping in natural languages: gapping derived by V-to-T movement and gapping derived to V-to-v movement. Consequently, gapping should not be an 'all or nothing' phenomenon. The data from Chinese affirm Johnson's (1994) theory of gapping that gapping occurs in those languages only with verb movement.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
