| This paper mainly studies Mandarin Chin ese Hen+N structure, such as ―hen shunü(?fairlady-like‘)‖. When studies hen+N structure, it cannot put researching adverb+N structure away. In traditional grammar, adverb can only restrict or modify verbs, adjectives rather than nouns, hence, adverb+N stru cture is considered as inappropriate with traditional grammar. Since the 1990 s, the degree adverb+N structure has been used more and more widely, which is reflected in novels, newspapers and daily conversations. And since the 1960 s, many scholars have conducted deep research on this structure from discussing whether or not degree adverbs can modify nouns to explain and describe this phenomenon, from which grammarians make a fruitful result yet still insufficient.Huang and He taking use of formal semantics to deal with hen+N structure, which defend the eligibility of this structure but with the premise that Mandarin Chinese bare NPs is kind-denoting terms in nature of semantic type e. From Chinese linguistic facts, it can be found that Chinese bare NPs can denote not only kind at argument positions but also property at predicate positions, and according to DP Hypothesis, as a NP eliminated from any determiners, bare NPs must be embedded in DP(allowance empty head D) to be eligible for argument position with the semantic type of NP being <e,t> and DP e. Two basic theories to explain bare NPs —Kind denoting Theory and Ambiguity Approach are all problematic. This paper take Krifka‘s argument that bare NPs basically denote property in nature, based on which it ca n make a united explanation for semantics of English-Chinese bare NPs under type shifting device.This paper argue for Huang and He‘s point that hen in the hen+N structure acts as a type shifter that can maps an argument of type e to a property of type <e, t> which is very bleached with semantic type of <e,<e,t>>. Chinese bare NPs basically denote property in nature of type <e,t>, and hen+N structure can be a Pred P of type <e,t> by type shifting device to compose with the subject to yield the sentence meaning that needed. |
