Comprehensive Grammar
Routledge Comprehensive Grammars Comprehensive Grammars are available for the following languages: Cantonese Catalan Chinese Danish Dutch Greek Indonesian Japanese Modern Welsh Modern Written Arabic Slovene Swedish Ukrainian Titles of related interest Basic Chinese: A Grammar and Workbook by Yip Po-Ching and Don Rimmington Intermediate Chinese: A Grammar and Workbook by Yip Po-Ching and Don Rimmington Colloquial Chinese by Kan Qian CHINESE: A COMPREHENSIVE GRAMMAR Yip Po-Ching and Don Rimmington Routledge Taylor & Francis Group LONDON AND NEW YORK First published 2004 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group © 2004 Yip Po-Ching and Don Rimmington Typeset in Times by Graphicraft Limited, Hong Kong Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJ International Ltd, Padstow, Cornwall All rights reserved No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Yip, Po-Ching, 1935Chinese : a comprehensive grammar / Yip Po-Ching and Don Rimmington p cm - (Routledge comprehensive grammars) Chinese language-Grammar I Title II Series PL1107.Y56 2003 495.1'82421-dc21 2003010198 ISBN 0-415-15031-0 (hbk) ISBN 0-415-15032-9 (pbk) CONTENTS Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations Introduction xiv xv xvi Nouns and Nominalisations 1.1 Nouns and categorisation 1.1.1 Common nouns 1.1.2 Material nouns 1.1.3 Collective nouns 1.1.4 Abstract nouns 1.1.5 Proper nouns 1.1.6 Temporal and spatial nouns 1.2 Nouns and reference 1.2.1 Definite or indefinite/generic reference 1.2.2 Exclusive reference 1.3 Nouns and plurality 1.4 Nouns and syntactic functions 1.5 Nouns and semantic fields 1.6 Nominalisations 1 5 7 9 11 13 16 Numerals and Measures 2.1 Digits, units and cardinal numbers 2.2 Ordinals 2.3 Enumeration 2.4 Fractions, percentages and decimals 2.4.1 Fractions 2.4.2 Percentages 2.4.3 Decimals 2.5 Imprecise numbers, halves and multiples 2.5.1 Imprecise numbers (^1)iic yueshu) 2.5.2 Halves 2.5.3 Multiples 2.6 Mathematical symbols and simple arithmetic equations 2.7 The multiplication table 2.8 Measure words 2.8.1 Standard measures 2.8.2 Classifying measures 17 17 19 20 20 20 21 21 22 22 25 25 26 26 27 27 32 vi Contents 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 Measure words and other attributives Reduplication of measure words Missing measure words Disyllabic measure words Compound measure words Duration and frequency measures 41 43 44 46 46 46 Pronouns, Pronominals and Pro-words 3.1 Personal pronouns 3.2 Demonstrative pronouns 3.3 Interrogative pronouns 3.4 Indefinite pronouns 3.5 Enumerative pronouns 3.6 Pronominals 3.7 Pro-words 47 47 48 50 52 54 54 56 Adjectives as Attributives and Predicatives 4.1 Adjectives in Chinese 4.2 Qualifiers or quantifiers 4.3 Degree adverbs and complements 4.4 The descriptive indicator #J de 4.5 Attributives and predicatives 4.5.1 Adjectives and their functional capacity 4.5.2 Attributive-only adjectives 4.5.3 Predicative-only adjectives 4.6 Various inherent features of adjectives 4.6.1 Gradable vs non-gradable 4.6.2 Conditional vs unconditional 4.6.3 Derivable vs non-derivable 4.6.4 Reduplicable vs non-reduplicable 4.6.5 Derogatory vs commendatory 4.7 Adjectives and valency 4.8 Adjectives and collocation 4.9 Adjectives and comparison 58 58 59 60 62 65 65 67 68 69 69 70 70 71 72 73 73 74 Attributives other than Adjectives 5.1 The different forms of attributive 5.1.1 Nouns 5.1.2 Verbs 5.1.3 Clauses 5.1.4 Prepositional or postpositional phrases with &5 de 5.1.5 Numerals or demonstratives and measure words 5.1.6 Pronouns 5.1.7 Idioms 5.2 The sequencing of attributives 76 77 77 78 78 78 79 80 80 81 Contents vii 5.3 Combination, embedding and delaying 5.3.1 Commas or conjunctions 5.3.2 Longer attributives 85 85 -86 Action Verbs 6.1 Transitive and intransitive 6.2 Dynamic and static differences 6.3 Dative verbs 6.4 Causative verbs 6.5 Coverbs 6.6 Agreement between the subject and its action verb predicate 6.7 Agreement between an action verb and its object 6.8 Action verbs: completion and continuation 6.8.1 The completion aspect 6.8.2 The continuation aspect 6.9 Action verbs: manner described and experience explained 6.9.1 Manner of existence with J | zhe 6.9.2 Persistent posture or continuous movement with ^f zhe 6.9.3 Accompanying manner with JJ zhe 6.9.4 Experience and M guo 88 89 91 91 95 98 99 101 102 102 105 107 107 108 108 109 Action Verbs and Time 7.1 Point of time 7.2 Duration 7.3 Brief duration 7.4 Frequency 7.5 ft mei 'every' 7.6 Other time expressions 7.7 Negation and time reference 7.7.1 Negative expository sentences 7.7.2 Negative narrative sentences 7.7.3 Negative descriptive sentences 112 112 113 116 118 120 120 121 121 122 123 Action Verbs and Locations 8.1 Location expressions and position indicators 8.2 zai with location expressions 8.3 Location expressions as sentence terminators 8.4 Location expressions as sentence beginners 8.5 Direction indicators 8.5.1 Simple direction indicators 3lt lai 'to come' and i: qu 'to go' 8.5.2 Disyllabic direction indicators 8.5.3 Direction indicators indicating meaning other than direction 8.6 The destination indicator 3\ dao 'to arrive' 124 124 126 127 129 131 131 132 134 136 viii Contents 10 Adverbials 9.1 Restrictive adverbials 9.1.1 Time expressions 9.1.2 Monosyllabic referential adverbs 9.2 Descriptive adverbials 9.3 Initiator-orientated or action-oriented descriptive adverbials 9.4 Omission of the descriptive marker ife de 9.5 Relative position of adverbials 138 138 138 141 143 145 147 148 Complements 10.1 Resultative complements 10.1.1 Adjectival resultative complements 10.1.2 Verbal resultative complements 10.1.3 Resultative complements in ffi ba, tt bei and notional passive constructions 10.1.4 Resultative complements and intended/expected outcomes in imperative sentences 10.2 Potential complements 10.2.1 Adjectival potential complements 10.2.2 Verbal potential complements 10.2.3 Potential directional complements 10.2.4 Figurative uses and other features of resultative complements 10.3 Complements of manner and consequential state 150 150 150 151 11 Coverbs 11.1 Peer characteristics 11.1.1 Registral 11.1.2 Collocational 11.1.3 Governmental 11.1.4 Prosodic 11.1.5 Sequential 11.1.6 Usage 11.2 Semantic categories 11.2.1 Direction and position 11.2.2 Time 11.2.3 With, for or by someone or something 11.2.4 Instrument and vehicle 11.2.5 By means of, in accordance with, etc 11.2.6 Grammatical operators 11.3 Coverbal positions 12 ffiba Constructions 12.1 The structural features of fE ba construction 152 153 153 153 154 154 155 155 159 160 160 160 161 162 162 163 163 164 174 180 183 185 193 196 200 200 Contents ix 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.1.1 Definite-referenced object 12.1.2 The elements after the main verb 12.1.3 The main verb in a ffi ba construction Intentionality in a ffi ba construction ffi ba construction and imperatives A particular feature of ffi ba construction in evaluative sentences IE ba versus # jiang 201 201 204 205 206 207 208 13 The Passive Voice and W ft bei Constructions 13.1 Three forms of passive 13 The notional passive 13.3 The formal passive 13.3.1 Salient features 13.3.2 Basic characteristics 13.3.3 Imperatives 13.3.4 Whole-part relationships 13.3.5 A classical variant 13.4 The lexical passive 209 209 210 217 217 218 220 220 221 221 14 226 Chain Constructions 14.1 The first verb introducing a coverbal phrase that indicates location, etc 14.2 The second verb indicating purpose 14.3 The first verb indicating reason or cause 14.4 The first verb expressing accompanying manner or circumstances 14.5 Consecutive actions 14.6 Simultaneous actions 14.7 An emphatic chain construction 14.8 An articulated chain construction 226 227 232 234 236 240 240 241 15 The Verb Ji shi 15.1 Jl shi introducing a predicative 15.2 Predicatives with an optional Jk shi 15.3 ft shi indicating existence 15.4 JE shi expressing emphasis 15.5 Jl: shi assessing an overall situation 15.6 & shi forming part of a connector 15.7 JH shi as a pivot 243 243 247 248 250 255 256 257 16 The Verb M you 16.1 ^ you indicating possession 16.2 W you indicating existence 258 258 259 x Contents 16.3 W you introducing subjects and time or location expressions of indefinite reference 16.4 W you specifying degree or extent 16.5 M you introducing comparison 16.6 -fi" you as an adjectival formative 16.7 M you expressing ideas of development and change 16.8 ^ you introducing a conditional clause 16.9 $t(W) mei(you) as negator of action verbs 16.9.1 Negator of past action/experience 16.9.2 Affirmative-negative questions and past action/ experience 16.9.3 Another form of the question 16.10 -n you to indicate 'part of 16.11 * you as the first verb in a sequence 17 Verbs that Take Verbal or Clausal Objects 17.1 Intentiorl and aspiration 17.1.1 Positive intentions and aspirations 17.1.2 Negative intentions 17.1.3 Uncertain aspirations 17.1.4 Group intentions 17.1.5 Voiced intentions 17.1.6 Intentions put into practice 17.1.7 Frustration and compulsion 17.2 Attitudes 17.3 Knowing and thinking 17.4 Appearance and value 17.5 Dummy verbs 18 Modal Verbs 18.1 Semantic categories of modal verbs 18.1.1 Permission 18.1.2 Possibility 18.1.3 Probability 18.1.4 Ability or skill 18.1.5 Obligation 18.1.6 Wishing 18.1.7 Willingness 18.1.8 Necessity 18.1.9 Boldness 18.2 Speaker perspective of modal verbs 18.3 Negation of modal verbs 18.4 Grammatical orientation of modal verbs 261 263 264 264 265 265 266 266 266 267 267 268 269 270 270 271 272 272 272 273 273 273 274 275 276 278 278 278 279 280 281 282 283 285 285 286 286 287 288 Contents xi 19 Telescopic Constructions 19.1 Topic and sub-topic 19.2 Topic and subject 19.3 'Subject + predicate' as topic 19.4 '(Subject) + predicate' inserted between 'topic' and 'comment' 290 290 292 294 20 Narration, Description, Exposition and Evaluation 20.1 Narrative sentences 20.2 Descriptive sentences 20.3 Expository sentences 20.3.1 Topic-comment expository sentences 20.3.2 Subject-predicate expository sentences 20.3.3 Negation of expository sentences 20.4 Evaluative sentences 20.4.1 The modal verb evaluative 20.4.2 The modified adjective/complement evaluative 20.5 Comparisons between sentence types 20.6 Concluding remarks 296 297 303 306 306 308 309 310 310 311 311 314 21 fe-Expository Sentences 21.1 Change or reversal of a previous situation 21.2 Subjective endorsement behind the objective explanation 21.3 Summing up after a series of actions 21.4 A rhythmic necessity for monosyllabic verbs or verbalised adjectives 21.5 Two or three functions in one 21.6 /^-expository sentences and the four basic sentence types 21.6.1 Expository sentences 21.6.2 Narrative sentences 21.6.3 Descriptive sentences 21.6.4 Evaluative sentences 315 316 319 320 Conjunctions and Conjunctives 22.1 Conjunctions that link words or phrases 22.1.1 The four conjunctions 22.1.2 W er 'also' 22.1.3 # bing 'also' 22.2 Clausal conjunctions and conjunctives 22.3 Clausal conjunctions and conjunctives in semantic categories 22.3.1 Giving reasons: because, because of, therefore 22.3.2 Making inferences: since 22.3.3 Expressing supposition: if 328 328 328 329 330 330 331 331 333 334 22 294 321 323 323 324 324 325 326 ... Publication Data Yip, Po-Ching, 1935Chinese : a comprehensive grammar / Yip Po-Ching and Don Rimmington p cm - (Routledge comprehensive grammars) Chinese language -Grammar I Title II Series PL1107.Y56 2003... linguistic terms are introduced, we have provided explanations We believe that a comprehensive grammar has to be comprehensive in two senses First, it must highlight the specific characteristics... pronoun subject subject-verb-object verb versus INTRODUCTION This book aims to provide a comprehensive grammar of Chinese It is intended for readers who have some knowledge of the language and