On Syntactic Realization Of Patient Roles

The mapping regularities between the semantic roles and syntactic positions are one of the key tasks in modern linguistics. The thesis discusses the syntactic arrangement of patient roles in sentences whose predicate verbs are two-valence verbs with two thematic roles: agent and patient. Then on the basis of static linking models, the thesis goes on studying pragmatically involved dynamic linking approaches. It is strongly advocated in the thesis that pragmatics, a distinct component of grammar needs to be invoked to map semantic roles into syntactic arguments in a right order.The thesis mainly consists of three parts which includes nine chapters.The 1st part includes the first three chapters which are the base component of the thesis. Chapter 1 surveys various notions of patient and relevant mapping theories between semantic structure and syntactic structure, especially the previous and present studies of the linking approaches between patient and syntactic arguments. Chapter 2 mainly examines the principles and methods of defining the valence of verbs and verb-complement phrases so as to determine the range of two-valence verbs with agent and patient. Most of the verbs in modern Chinese belong to this kind so it can manifest the semantic and syntactic features of verbs perfectly. Chapter 3 describes and analyzes thoroughly all kinds of syntactic positions of patient arguments from the aspects of syntax, semantics and pragmatics. Syntactic arrangement of patient arguments mainly includes the following five models: A+V+P, A+P+VP, P+A+VP, P+VP and P+V+A (A = agent, P = patient, V/VP = predicate verbs).The 2nd part includes the 4th and the 5th chapters. Based on the methods of Case Grammar (especially the theory of perspective), argument structure and thematic hierarchy, this part demonstrates that the normal or static mapping model between thematic roles and elements of sentence (subject or object) is "a + v + p→subject + v + object", or "agent subject+ v + patient objects" which can be interpreted according to the theory of cognitive linguistics.The 3rd part includes the last four chapters. On basis of the static mapping models, Chapter 6 discusses the referential properties of the noun phrases which represent patient roles and their influence on syntactic positions of patient arguments. Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 focus on dynamic linking approaches caused by pragmatic factors, such as topicalization and focalization. In Chapter 9, the concept of pragmatic movement is defined in the first place, and then the thesis illustrates and analyzes the conditions in syntax, semantics and pragmatics which may restrict the movement of patient arguments.The last part of the thesis is a conclusion of the whole paper, in which the major viewpoints, the achievements and some deficiencies of the thesis are presented. It also expounds the academic value and practical significance of our research work.