Appearances can be deceiving: a preliminary study of de yangzi in Chinese Haowen Jiang

Transcription

1 Appearances can be deceiving: a preliminary study of de yangzi in Haowen Jiang haowen@rice.edu 1. The Issue: Structural ambiguities of XP DE yangzi/hua/guanxi/etc. (1)a ta1men chang2chang2 hui4 xiang3dao4 [huang2 lao3shi1 de] [yang4zi]. 3PL often certainly think.of:acmpl Huang teacher DE YANGZI They often think of Teacher Huang s countenance. [Referential use] b ta1men chang2chang2 hui4 xiang3dao4 huang2 lao3shi1 [de yang4zi]. 3PL often certainly think.of:acmpl Huang teacher DE YANGZI It seems that/i guess they often think of Teacher Huang. [Non-referential use] (2)a [huang2 lao3shi1 de] [hua4], hen3 you3 dao4li3. Huang teacher DE HUA very EX sense Teacher Huang s words make much sense. [Referential use] b huang2 lao3shi1 [de hua4], ta1 mei3tian1 dou1 hui4 shui4wu3jiao4. Huang teacher DE HUA 3SG everyday all certainly take.an.afternoon.nap Speaking of Teacher Huang, he takes an afternoon nap everyday. [Non-referential use] 2. Corpus Overview: Table 1: Token distributions of DE YANGZI (DYZ) across three corpora Period Corpus Genre Referential Total Non-referential uses of tokens uses of DYZ DYZ of DYZ The Pear Stories (CPS) Narrative NCCU Corpus of Conversation Spoken (CUC) Narrative Early Academia Sinica Fiction Tagged Corpus (ASC) Play script Page 1 of 12

2 3. Data Analyses 3.1 The Pear Stories (CPS) 1 : 13 tokens of DYZ out of 20 Pear stories Referential use: 5 tokens physical appearance; looks; countenance (3 tokens) (3) 28.1 a tā dài yí gè màozi PRT 3SG wear one CF hat 29.1 a... chuāng yí gè bú shì hĕn tèshū de yīfu PRT wear one CF NEG COP very special NMLZ clothing 30.1 a... búguò jiàotàchē gĕi wŏ yìngxiàng gēn nà gè xiăoháizi de yàngzi PRT but bicycle give 1SG impression and that CF child DE YANGZI shì hĕn kĕài de COP very cute PRT Uh, he wears a hat. Uh, (he) wears a shirt that is not very special. Uh, but, based on the impression from the bike and that little kid s looks [DYZ], (he) is very adorable. (Pear.M ) behavioral demeanor; manner; air (2 tokens) (4) 10.1 nà gè xiăoháizi ya that CF child PRT 10.2 bĕnlái yā originally PRT 10.3 tā xiăngyào tōutōu ná yí gè 3SG want stealthily take one CF 11.1 jiéguŏ ma as.it.turns.out PRT 11.2 kàndào nà gè nóngrén hĕn zhuānxīn de yàngzi see:acmpl that CF farmer very concentrated DE YANGZI 11.3 ya PRT 11.4 zài nàbiān căi LOC there pluck 12.1 suŏyĭ ne so PRT 12.2 zhè gè xiăoháizi jiù bă zhĕng gè lán de shuĭguŏ quánbù ya this CF child then BA whole CF basket NMLZ fruit all PRT 1 This corpus is accessible online at Page 2 of 12

3 tái zài tā chēzi shàng ya carry LOC 3SG vehicle top PRT That little kid, originally he wanted to steal one (guava). (But) as it turns out, (he) saw that farmer plucking (guavas) there in a very concentrated manner [DYZ], so this child carried the whole basket of fruits onto his bike. (Pear.M ) Non-referential: 8 tokens Inference about empirical state of affairs in the real world based on circumstantial observable evidence (2 tokens) (5) 14.1 am... érqiĕ ne PRT and PRT 14.2 am érqiĕ tā de jīngshén kànqĭlái PRT and 3SG NMLZ spirit look:incho 14.3 nà ge rén de yănjing búxiàng shì gōngzuò that CF person NMLZ eye not.seem COP work hăoxiàng yí gè niánjì bĭjiào dà de rén seem one CF age more large NMLZ person 14.4 bĭjiào chídùn huănmàn de zài nàr gōngzuò more dull slow PRT LOC there work 15.1 am kànqĭlái búxiàng shì am hĕn hĕn hĕn PRT look:incho not.seem COP PRT very very very yĭ zhè ge gōngzuò kào zhè ge gōngzuò wéishēng de yàngzi by this CF work depend.on this CF work make.a.living DE YANGZI 16.1 kĕshì kàn tā de yàng- tā de chuāngzhuāng dăbàn but look 3SG NMLZ FS 3SG NMLZ dressing apparel 16.2 am nĭ jué hăoxiàng shì yĭ zhè gè lái kào PRT 2SG think seem SHI by this CF PURP depend.on zhè ge chīfàn de yàngzi this CF eat DE YANGZI Well, and well, and judging from his spirits, from that guy s eyes, (he) doesn t look like he s working. (He is) much like a relatively old guy, (who) is working there in a dull and slow manner. Well, it doesn t seem that [DYZ] (he) is very very very by this job (that he) makes a living by (doing) this job. But judging from his um his apparel, well, you d think it seems that [DYZ] by means of this (job) (he) depends on this (job) for a living. (Pear.M ) Inferred propositions: The man does not make a living by plucking guavas. (Evidence: the way he works) The man makes a living by plucking guavas. (Evidence: the way he dresses himself) Page 3 of 12

4 Inference about the internal state of animate entities based on circumstantial observable evidence (4 tokens) (6) 51.1 nà nà ge zhāi bālè de rén kàndào tā de nàge yŏu yì lóu kōng le that that CF pluck guava NMLZ person see:acmpl 3SG NMLZ PF EX one basket empty PFV 52.1 ránhòu then 52.2 hăoxiàng hĕn bŭjiĕ de yàngzi seem very puzzled DE YANGZI That that guava-plucker saw his um (saw that) one (of his) baskets has got empty. And it seems that [DYZ] (he) looked puzzled. (Pear.M ) Inferred proposition: The man felt puzzled (when he found out that one basket of guavas was gone). Inference about the inherent potential of inanimate entities based on circumstantial observable evidence (1 token) (7) 6.1 en PRT 6.2 yīnwèi tā hĕn pàng because 3SG very fat 6.3 pá pá nàgè nà gè tīzi nà gè tīzi hĕnxiàng climb climb PF that CF ladder that CF ladder seem bùkānfùhè de yàngzi cannot.bear.weight DE YANGZI Well, because he is very fat, climbing climbing um that ladder It seems that [DYZ] that ladder can t bear (his) weight. (Pear.M19.6) Inferred proposition: The ladder cannot bear the man s weight. Inference about the compatibility of two entities in a mental world based on circumstantial observable evidence (1 token) (8) 22.1 nà tā zhèyàng qízŏu le zhīhòu DM 3SG this.way ride.away PFV after 22.2 yīnwèi nà shuĭguŏ hĕn zhòng because that fruit very heavy 22.3 wŏ kàn nà jiăotàchē hăoxiàng yòu tài dà le 1SG see that bicycle seem again very big PRT 22.4 tā rén tài xiăo 3SG person too small Page 4 of 12

5 23.1 hăoxiàng bú shìhé tā de yàngzi seem NEG fit 3SG DE YANGZI And after he rides the bike away like that, because those fruits are very heavy, I think that bike looks too big (for him). He is too small. It seems that [DYZ] (the bike) does not suit (him). (Pear.M ) Inferred proposition: The bike does not suit the boy (in the mind of the speaker). 3.2 National Cheng Chi University Corpus of Spoken (CUC) 2 : 11 tokens out of 18 conversations and 6 narratives Referential use: 6 tokens physical appearance; looks; countenance (1 token) (9) M1:.. ke3shi4 wo2 xiang3 kan4 xiao3xian2 but 1SG want see Xiaoxian But I want to see Xiaoxian. F2:.. she2me xiang3 kan4.. zen3me kan4 what want see how see What (do you mean you) want to see (her)? How do you see (her)? M1:.. kan4 zhe.. kan4 zhe ni3 [de yang4zi] see IMPF see IMPF 2SG DE YANGZI (I want to) watch, watch your face [DYZ]. M2: [a ni3 yong4].. <L2 notebook L2> a PRT 2SG use laptop PRT Well, you can use a laptop (to see her). (M005-CN-NF-MFMF-MYMY-303~306) behavioral demeanor; manner; air (3 tokens) (10) 1.. na4 ran2hou4 wo3 jiu4 xiang3dao4 xiang1gang3 DM then 1SG EMPH think:acmpl Hong.Kong 2.. ran2hou4 wo3 jiu4 xiang3dao4 xiao3qiao2 then 1SG EMPH think:acmpl Xiaoqiao 3.. ran2hou4 wo3 jiu4 xiang3dao4 ta1 li3pai4wu3 de yang4zi then 1SG EMPH think:acmpl 3SG Friday DE YANGZI 4.. ran2hou4 jiu4 jue2de hen3 sheng1qi4 then EMPH think very angry And then I thought of Hong Kong. And then I thought of Xiaoqiao. And then I thought of the way [DYZ] he was on Friday. And then (I) felt very angry. (M010-CN-NF-MM-YY-42) 2 This corpus is accessible online at Page 5 of 12

6 tangible sight; view (2 tokens) (11) 1 (0.8) er2qie3 na4 xue2di4 hai2 shuo1 she2me and that male.junior.classmate also say PF 2.. xin4shi4dan4dan4 de shuo1.. ta1 kan4dao4 wo3 gen1 ta1 confidently PRT say 3SG see:acmpl 1SG and 3SG shou3qian1shou3 de yang4zi hold.hand.in.hand DE YANGZI And that guy junior to me at school even said something said with confidence that he saw the sight [DYZ] of me and her holding hand-in-hand. (M010-CN-NF-MM-YY-158) Non-referential use: 5 tokens Inference about the internal state of animate entities based on circumstantial observable evidence (1 token) (12) 1 ta1 ke3neng2 jiu4 na2 le yi2 ge (0.7) jiu4 na2 yi2 ge mu4gun4 3SG probably EMPH take PFV one CF EMPH take one CF wood.stick 2 ran2hou4 qiao1 qiao1 qiao1 ba3 na4 ge.. hui4 dong4 de then knock knock knock BA that CF capable move NMLZ dong1xi1 thing qiao1 hun1 yi3hou4 knock faint after 3.. ta1 dao4 dao4 dao4 dao4chu1lai2 jiu4 ba4 mi3qi2 dao4chu1lai2 3S pour pour pour pour.out:ven EMPH BA Mickey pour.out:ven 4 ran3hou4 ta1 hao3xiang4 jiu4 hen3 bu2xiu4 de yang4zi.. ran2hou4 jiu4 then 3SG seem EMPH very contemptuous DE YANGZI then EMPH ba3 ku4zi chuan1shang4 ren2 jiu4 zou3 le BA trousers put.on person EMPH leave PFV She (i.e. the cow) probably took a took a wood stick, and then kept knocking and knocking at (the thing inside her trousers with the stick). After she knocked out that moving stuff, she kept pouring and pouring pouring out pouring Mickey out (of her trousers). And then she seemed [DYZ] to be very contemptuous (of Mickey). And then she put on (her) trousers, (and) left. (M023-NRT-SM-MF-YY-09) Inferred proposition: The cow felt contemptuous (of Mickey when she poured him out of her trousers). Page 6 of 12

7 Inference about the imminent occurrence of an action in a possible world based on circumstantial observable evidence (1 token) (13) 1...(0.7) ran2hou4... jiu4 zhe4yang4 yi2lu4 chang4ge1.. zhuan3quan1.. then EMPH like.this all.the.way sing turn.around ran2hou4 zou3 zou3 zou3 zou3 zou3.. kuai4 jin4 then walk walk walk walk walk almost close 2 kuai4 kao4jin4 sha1tan1 de shi2hou4 almost approach beach NMLZ time 3 na4ge mi3qi2 jiu4 cong2 san3 xia4 mao4chu1lai2 DM Mickey EMPH from umbrella bottom pop.out:ven 4 yuan2lai2 ta1 zhen1de shi4 zhe1yang2san3 as.it.turns.out 3SG really COP sunshade.umbrella 5 ran2hou4 mi3ni2.. shi4 zuo4 zai4 zhe1yang2san3 shang4mian4 de then Minnie COP sit LOC sunshade.umbrella top PRT 6 (0.7) ran2hou4 ta1men jiu4 kai1shi3 (1.0) zhun4bei4 yao4 then 3PL EMPH begin prepare about.to ye3can1 de yang4zi a picnic DE YANGZI PRT And then, like this (they) sing and turn around all the way. And then (they) keep walking and walking almost up to While (they) almost reach the beach, well, Mickey pops out from below the umbrella. As it turns out, that indeed is a sunshade umbrella. And then Minnie is sitting on the sunshade umbrella. And then they begin preparing for what looks like [DYZ] a picnic. (M023-NRT-SM-MF-YY-03) Inferred proposition: What Mickey and Minnie were doing is for the purpose of a picnic (that has yet to happen in the future.) Assumption about empirical state of affairs in the real world that are previously unknown to the speaker, based on reasoning, conjecture, and/or general knowledge (1 token) (14) F1: (4.3) ke3shi4 zhe4yang4 lai2hui2 hen3 le4 ye but like.this make.a.roud.trip very tiring PRT But making a round trip like this is very tiring. F2:.. dui4 a.. suo2yi3 ta1men hui4 bu3 yi4 tian1 jia4 yes PRT so they will compensate one day leave Certainly, so they will (have) one-day leave as compensation. Page 7 of 12

8 F1:.. hon a ming2tian1 xiu1jia4 a BC PRT tomorrow have.a.day.off PRT Hmm, so (he) has a day off tomorrow? F2:.. bu4 zhi1dao4.. ke2yi3 rang4 ta1 zi4ji3 xuan3 de yang4zi NEG know can let 3SG self choose DE YANGZI (I) don't know. I guess [DYZ] (the employer) would let him choose (which day to be off). (M008-CN-NF-FFM-OYO-288~291) Assumed proposition: The employer allows the man in question to choose whatever day to be off from work (as compensation for his tiring work). Assumption about state of affairs in the past that were once known to the speaker but are now accessible only through recollections, based on reasoning, conjecture, and/or general knowledge (2 tokens) (15) 1 F2: o.. wo3 you3 yi2 ge jie3jie3 zao3du2 shang4 PRT.. 1SG have one CF older.sister matriculate.early get.into bei3yi1nu3 Taipei.First.Girls.High.School 2 (1.5) chao1 qiang2 de.. er2qie3 ta1 dou1 bao3chi2 super awesome PRT and 3SG all keep bei3yi1nu3 qian2.. quan2 [ban1 qian2 wu5 ming2 de yangzi] Taipei.First.Girls.High.School front whole class front five rank DE YANGZI I have an older sister, who matriculated early and was admitted to Taipei First Girls High School. (She s) super awesome! And she was always among the top five in (her) class at Taipei First Girls High School, if I remember right [DYZ]. 3 F3: [er2qie3 hen3 ke3-.. wo3 dou1 hen3 ke3lian2 o] and very FS 1SG all very pitiful PRT And very I am very pitiful. (M016-CN-NF-FFF-AAA-1188~1189) Assumed proposition: (I know my older sister was awesome, so as far as I can remember) she was always among the top five in her class. (16) 1 M: na4ge dou1 you3 yi2duan4 ju4li2 bu2 shi4.. hen3 shao3 ren2 that all EX a.length.of distance NEG COP very few person shuo1 you3 yi2ci4 jiu4 ke3yi3 <L2 diak4 lip8khi3 e5 PRT EX once EMPH capable flip enter:and PRT 2 (1.0) e7 tsun2 tio3 a1ne1 diak4 lip8khi3 e5 L2> can precise EMPH like.that flip enter:and PRT Page 8 of 12

9 3 (1.2) ran2hou4 jiu4 (0.7) kan4 shei2.. xian1 wan2cheng2 de yang4zi la then EMPH see who first finish DE YANGZI PRT 4 mei3yi2ci4 ni3 yao4 qu4 bian1 dong4.. <L2 it4ting7 ai3 L2> every.time 2SG want go side hole definitely must huei2lai2 zhong1 dong4 la return:ven middle hole PRT There s some distance (between target holes). It is not like Few people can flip (a marble) into (a target hole) simply with one shot, flip (a marble) into (a target hole) like that with precision. Then (the point is to) see who first finish (the whole route), if I remember right [DYZ]. Every time you go to a side hole, (you) must go back to the middle hole. 5 F:.. m BC Uh-huh. 6 M:... <L3 honnh4 L3>...(1.0) a1 kan4 shei2 zhe4 si4 ge dong4 ne1 BC PRT see who this four CF hole PRT kan4 shei2 xian1 wan2cheng2 zhe4 ge lu3cheng2 la see who first finish this CF route PRT (The point is to) see who these four (side) holes see who first finish the route (of going through them). 7 F: m BC Uh-huh. 8 M: wo3 ji4de2 hao3xiang4 shi4 zhe4 ge yang4zi 1SG remember seem COP this CF way I remember (this) seems to be the way (marbles were once played.) (M018-CN-NF-FM-OO-408~412) Assumed proposition: (As far as I can remember), the way marbles were once played is whoever first finishes the route of going through four holes wins. 3.3 Academia Sinica Tagged Corpus of Early Mandarin (ASC) 3 : 36 tokens of DYZ Referential use: 35 tokens physical appearance; looks; countenance (13 tokens) (17) bi3 bie2ren2 biaozhi4 xie1, you4 sheng1 le yi4 zhang1 qiao3 zui3, than others beautiful a.little also born.with PFV one CF eloquent mouth 3 This corpus is assessable online at Page 9 of 12

10 tian1tian1 da3ban4 de xiang4 ge xi1shi1 de yang4zi. everyday dress.up PRT resemble CF Xishi DE YANGZI (She s) a little more beautiful than others, and was also born to be eloquent. Everyday (she) dresses up like Xishi (lit. Xishi s looks [DYZ]). (Chap. 74, Dream of the Red Chamber) behavioral demeanor; manner; air (18 tokens) (18) shang4hui2 ta1 yao4 na2 yu4 chu1qu4, bian4 shi4 yao4 last.time 3SG about.to take jade exit:and EMPH COP about.to tuo1shen1 de yang4zi, bei4 wo3 jiu1zhu4. escape DE YANGZI BEI 1SG catch Last time (when) he was about to get out taking the jade away (with him), that is, (when he took on) an air [DYZ] of being about to escape, (he) was caught by me. (Chap. 120, Dream of the Red Chamber) convention; custom; practice (2 tokens) [cf. zhao4yang4 follow a given pattern ] (19) ai, bu2yao4 kuan3 ta1, qie3 an4zhe za1men jia1 PRT PROH care 3SG temporarily according.to 1PL house xian1qian2 de yang4zi ban4 qu4. previous DE YANGZI do go Well, don t care about him. For the moment just go do (it) according to the previous convention [DYZ] in our house. (Chap. 110, Dream of the Red Chamber) sample; model; exemplar (1 token) [cf. yang4ben3 sample ; bang3yang4 model ] (20) ta1 dao4 ming2ri4 guo4lai2 yu3 ni3 ke1tou2, hai2 yao4 ti4 ni3 zuo4 xie2. 3SG reach tomorrow come.over toward 2SG kowtow also want for 2SG make shoes zuo2ri4 shi3 ya1tou ti4 le wu2 jia1 de yang4zi qu4 le. yesterday order handmaid replace PFV Wu family DE YANGZI go PFV Tomorrow she will come over to kowtow to you, (and) also wants to make shoes for you. Yesterday (she) already ordered a handmaid to go get Wu family s samples [DYZ] (of shoes). (Chap. 13, Jin Ping Mei (aka. The Godden Lotus)) a piece of writing; written words or phrases (1 token) [cf. zi4yang4 words; phrases ] (21) bao3yu4 zhi3 dao4, yan4tai2 xia4 shi4 she2me? yi2ding4 you4 shi4 Baoyu point say inkstone bottom COP what definitely again COP na3 wei4 de yang4zi, wang4ji4 le shou1 de. qing2wen2 mang2 qi3 which CF DE YANGZI forget PFV put.away PRT Qingwen hurriedly lift yan4 na2 le chu1lai2, que4 shi4 yi4 zhang1 zi4tie3er2. inkstone take PFV exit:ven but COP one CF note Baoyu pointed (to it) saying, What is that under the inkstone? It must be somebody s writing [DYZ], (which s/he) forgot to put away. Qingwen hurriedly lifted the inkstone Page 10 of 12

11 and take (it) from under, only to (find that) it s a note. (Chap. 63, Dream of the Red Chamber) Non-referential use: 1 token Inference about the imminent occurrence of an action in a possible world based on circumstantial observable evidence (22) gang1 kua4jin4 men2, zhi3 jian4 deng1kuang1 can3dan4, just stride.in door only see light gloomy yin3yin3 you3 ge nu3ren2 na2 zhe han4jin1zi, vaguely EX CF woman take IMPF waistband hao3si4 yao4 shang4diao4 de yang4zi seem about.to hang.onself DE YANGZI As soon as (she) strode over the door(sill), (she) saw the light was gloomy (and that) vaguely there was a woman taking a waistband, (who) seemed [DYZ] about to hang herself. (Chap. 111, Dream of the Red Chamber) Inferred proposition: The woman with a waistband was about to hang herself (when I saw her). 4. Summary Table 2: Tokens of DYZ in the referential and non-referential use Period Corpus referential-use (A) non-referential use (B) ref-to-non-ref ratio (A:B) CPS 5 8 1:1.6 CUC 6 5 1:0.83 Combined :1.18 Early ASC :0.03 Table 3: Tokens of DYZ in the referential use Period Corpus physical behavioral tangible convention writing a piece of sample appearance demeanor sight CPS CUC Combined Early ASC Page 11 of 12

12 Table 4: Tokens of DYZ in the non-referential use Period Corpus evidentiality epistemic modality inference assumption uncertainty ambiguous CPS CUC Combined Early ASC Abbreviations 1 first person 2 second person 3 third person ACMPL accomplishment aktionsart AND andative BC backchannel CF classifier COP copular DM discourse marker EMPH emphatic EX existential IMPF imperfective aspect INCHO inchoative aktionsart LOC NEG NMLZ PF PFV PL PROG PROH PRT PURP SG VEN locative negation nominalizer pause filler perfective aspect plural progressive prohibitive particle purposive singular venitive Page 12 of 12