Fundamental Structures of the Chinese Language

Foreword

Preface

Introduction

I. Importance of the "topic-comment" structure

1.1 Topics occupy a fixed position at the beginning of the sentence

1.2 Topics are definite or identifiable references

1.3 Topics consist of one or more words

1.4 Topics do not necessarily correspond to the "grammatical subject" of the verbal action

1.5 Phonological elements marking the topic

1.6 Topics can be marked by specific terms

1.7 Single topic, multiple topics or a string of topics

1.8 Elision of the topic

1.9 Topics are independent from comments

1.10 Comments may consist of one or more words

1.11 One comment or a string of comments

1.12 Comments can be marked

1.13 Comments cannot be omitted

1.14 Comments as predication

1.15 "Topic-comment" structures in coordinated clauses

1.16 Interrogative clauses

1.17 The identification of the "topic-comment" structure is essential for constructing negation

1.18 Initial expressions of time or place can serve as a topic or establish a frame of reference for an event

1.19 Constructions with b? ? as double-topic clause

1.20 Constructions with bei ? as double-topic definite reference clauses

1.21 Constructions with shi? as topic-focus clauses

1.22 Constructions with jiu ? as clauses with a focus marker

1.23 Constructions with dou ? as clauses with focus and definite reference

1.24 The "topic-comment" structure and punctuation marks

1.25 The "topic-comment" structure in Classical Chinese

1.26 The structure of dialogues

1.27 The "topic-comment" structure in translation

1.28 Summary

II. Verbal aspect: a fundamental category in the Chinese language

2.1 Stative verbs

2.2 Auxiliary verbs

2.3 Verb-object incorporation compounds

2.4 Aspect: fundamental category of Chinese verbs

2.5 The unmarked form of the verb

2.6 The perfective aspect suffix le ?

2.7 The experiential aspect suffix guo ?

2.8 The progressive aspect suffix zhe ?

2.9 The use of the infix de ?

2.10 The tentative, limiting, or punctual nature of the verb and its reduplication

2.11 Verbs of movement that specify the direction of the action

2.12 Verbs incorporating the result of the action

2.13 Verbs incorporating the feasibility or impossibility of the action

2.14 The specification of the action or result of movement in a figurative sense

2.15 Summary

2.16 Summary table of the most frequent Chinese aspectual markers

2.17 Model of "aspectual conjugation" in Chinese

III. The arrangement of phrasal constituents and grammatical markers

3.1 The arrangement of elements around the nominal phrase

3.2 Grammatical markers for noun identification

3.3 The order of elements in the verbal phrase

3.4 The position of the adverb

3.5 Coverbs or prepositions?

3.6 The position of comparison terms

3.7 The arrangement of expressions and terms related to time and place

3.8 The spatial and temporal positioning through postpositions

3.9 The conjunction of words and sentences

3.10 Interrogative markers

3.11 Modal clause markers

3.12 Summary table of the order of elements

IV. Identification of structures, grammatical markers, and word order in a written text

4.1 Topic-comment structure

4.2 Use of de ? as a noun phrase marker

4.3 Demonstratives, numerals or quantifiers, and classifiers as markers of the noun phrase

4.4 Adjectives and noun modifiers

4.5 Place references and postpositions

4.6 Temporal references

4.7 Verbs and aspect

4.8 Markers of the verb phrase: adverbs

4.9 Conjunctions of words and clauses

4.10 Comparison terms

4.11 Clause markers

4.12 Summary of the "topic-comment" structure

4.13 A literary translation

References

Index