Scope Of Negator Bu In Mandarin Chinese And Its Negative Target

The study of negation has a long tradition within the generative approach. Since the advent of Pollock's (1989)'Split-Infl Hypothesis'which demonstrated more functional head including NegP, negation was dominantly studied under the node of NegP. However, the NegP Hypothesis is not suitable for Chinese, which has been proved by many linguists. Instead, according to the Minimalist Principle (Chomsky, 1995), lexical element that does not project can only enter into derivation by adjoining to another functional head. Here in this passage, we propose Bu as an adjunct.This thesis focuses on the analysis of the scope and target of negation of the negator Bu. A comprehensive and detailed study will be employed on its adjacent element, especially its adjacent preverbal adjuncts to describe the scope and target of negation more precisely. Scope of negation is described here as the possibility of negation on the VP (including AP) elements, which reflects its flexibility in syntactic position. The target of negation is analyzed as:Bu negates its c-commanding element within its negative scope, namely its adjacent element within its scope and the target of negation varies with its adjacent elements. Then a specific and differentiated analysis is made about its adjacent elements, especially the adjacent preverbal adjuncts. Based on Ernst's Event-Internal Adjuncts and specific language facts in Mandarin Chinese, preverbal adjuncts are divided into event-internal adjuncts and non-event-internal adjuncts. Following that, other adjacent elements are analyzed:adjuncts such as pre-adjectival adjuncts, pre-noun adjuncts, pre-adverbial adjuncts and postverbal adjuncts; and non-adjuncts such as verbs (including adjectives) and modals/auxiliaries. After employing the'Subject-Internal Theory', phenomena of negation are unified as constituent negation and sentential negation. When immediately followed by verbs and event-internal adjuncts, Bu is adjoined to and negates the adjacent VP, which realizes constituent negation and sentential negation. When immediately followed by modals/auxiliaries, or other adjuncts, Bu is adjoined to and negates the adjacent word, which belongs to constituent negation.