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Floating Quantifiers in Taiwanese Southern Min
Thesis

Floating Quantifiers in Taiwanese Southern Min

Hsiao, Yu-you
Masters, 國立清華大學, 語言學研究所
2012

Abstract

游離計量詞 全稱量詞 不定量詞 kui1-CL 現代閩南語 主題化 被動句 語法化 floating quantifiers universal quantifiers indefinite quantifiers kui1-CL Modern Taiwanese Southern Min topiclaization passive structures grammaticalization
For the past two decades, the issue of floating quantifiers has been widely investigated in many languages; however, in Modern Taiwanese Southern Min, there are a few studies on the phenomenon of floating quantifiers. Based on previous works, it is observed that the floating quantifiers often occur in preverbal positions. In other words, the floating quantifiers seldom appear in postverbal positions or in low argument positions. However, in Modern Taiwanese Southern Min, it seems that some quantifiers can be stranded in postverbal positions of transitive verb sentences and passive sentences. In this thesis, the analysis of postverbal FQs in Modern Taiwanese Southern Min is the main focus. Three different quantifiers are investigated. One is universal quantifiers like tsuan5-poo7 ‘all’, another is indefinite quantifiers such as tsit8-kua2 (-a2) ‘some’ and tam7-poh8-a2 ‘some’ and the other is kui1-CL ‘whole’. I adopt the stranding analysis to illustrate postverbal FQs in transitive verb structures, while with regard to postverbal FQs in passive structures, the null operator analysis is taken into consideration. Besides, some restrictions will be pointed to affect the grammaticality of stranding quantifiers in postverbal positions. Finally, the minor issue, grammaticalization of some quantifiers, will be discussed.

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