Contrastive Topics in Chinese Comparatives

Abstract

This paper is to argue that the two compared things in Chinese comparatives, i.e. target in the main clause and standard in the comparative clause should be analyzed as serving as a contrastive topic. Building on Li & Thompson’s (1981) study of Chinese comparatives, we show that Chinese encodes a contrastive topic structurally in the overt syntax of comparatives. More specifically, it is structurally configured in pre-subject position interleaved between an aboutness topic and a focus. Based on the structural make-up for a contrastive topic in Chinese, we investigate the subject vs. non-subject asymmetry when the fragmentary target/standard of comparison acts as a contrastive topic. At the same time, we use WCO effects and a ban on multiple foci to confirm that the fragmentary target/standard is not a focus but a contrastive topic.