A Minimalist Approach To Generative Mechanisms Of Wh-questions In English And Chinese

The author picks out English wh-questions and their counterparts in Chinese as the language data,which fall into four types: object wh-questions,subject whquestions,embedded wh-questions,and multiple wh-questions.The thesis,in a minimalist way,provides a thorough analysis of syntactic derivation of these whquestions and relevant structures involved respectively within feature checking theory,feature-valuation theory and labeling algorithm,explores the interrogative parameters in English and Chinese — wh-movement and wh-in-situ,and makes further analyses of their underlying syntactic mechanisms for wh-movement and wh-in-situ in the above two languages.Wh-questions are one of the hotly debated topics in syntactic research.With respect to English wh-questions,there is a relatively uncontroversial view of the extraction of wh-words within the same theoretical framework,while there are different ideas about the generative mechanism of Chinese wh-questions.Besides,the writer finds that new domestic studies on Chinese wh-questions are fewer,and even rare within labeling algorithm.Since MP has been constantly polished and amended,the thesis provides a diachronic analysis of three successive theory models featured by different syntactic approaches — feature checking,feature valuation and labeling algorithm,which aims to make a contribution to a unified account of English and Chinese wh-questions by comparing their similarities and differences,offers new insights and evidence for the validation of the simpler computational operation under UG,and provides theoretical support for second language acquisition for second language learners.The research scope is identified firstly,targeting ten examples of wh-questions in English and Chinese as the research objects.Mainly by the application of Merge,the author subsequently finds that under feature checking theory,what is moved is the formal features of a lexical item,and the extraction of English wh-words is triggered by feature checking requirement.Under feature-valuation theory,probe-goal agreement gives up Move F and features are checked via Agree,and the whmovement is conducted to satisfy the EPP feature carried by functional C.The whmovement is overt with phonological materials in English while covert with features raised only in Chinese,without LF pied-piping,which accounts for wh-in-situ phenomenon.Under labeling algorithm,Merge is applied freely and is not driven by any convergence condition.For successful interpretation at C-I interface,sharing a Qfeature on both heads of syntactic object makes sure that the syntactic object is labeled.Finally,the paper concludes universalities and local individualities reflected in English and Chinese wh-questions on aspect of syntactic derivation.