| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立清華大學 === 語言學研究所 === 95 === Most languages have a strategy of taking an indirect object to the argument structure of a verb. Bantu languages are widely attested on this phenomenon. The extra arguments are called applied arguments to the applicative constructions, which is the terminology that is used for constructions with additional indirect objects cross-linguistically. This paper aims to specify the issue on identifying the applicative constructions in Mandarin and Southern Min respectively. According to Marantz’s (1993) observation of Bantu languages, we assume that sentences with affected arguments in Mandarin and Southern Min are applicative constructions with a covert, or overt applicative marker, gei in Mandarin Chinese; ka in Southern Min.
The verb Gei “give” in Mandarin Chinese and “ka" in Southern Min synchronically functions as applicative head in different constructions licensing an oblique, or non-core, argument which would not be considered a part of the verb’s argument structure. The different behaviors of these markers are associated with different the argument it combines with, and the structure of the sentence it occurs.
In Mandarin Chinese, there are both marked and unmarked applicative constructions from which High, Mid and Low applicative constructions are introduced. On the other hand, in Southern Min, due to the lack of implicit applicative head, there is only marked applicative construction from which High and Mid applicative structures are represented.
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