A Contrastive Study of Reflexive Constructions in Japanese and Chinese : Focusing on Beneficiency

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  • 日中語の再帰構文の対照研究 : 恩恵性を中心に
  • ニッチュウゴ ノ サイキ コウブン ノ タイショウ ケンキュウ : オンケイセイ オ チュウシン ニ

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This article classifies the reflexive constructions of Japanese and Chinese into typical, intermediate, and peripheral constructions, and discusses the characteristics and differences between the two languages regarding beneficiency at the syntactic level. There are several differences in typical reflexive constructions. First, in Chinese, the numeral plus quantifier phrase must be added when the sentence contains a body contact verb. Second, the target of the reflexive pronoun shows a different behavior, particularly in the case of passive sentences and ba-construction in Chinese. Third, the anaphoric target of the reflexive pronoun and the third person pronoun may differ, especially whether the reflexive pronoun can refer to the dead. Fourth, the beneficiency in typical reflexive constructions derives from the viewpoint constraints of the reflexive pronoun. Regarding intermediate and peripheral reflexive constructions, Japanese and Chinese differ in the possibility of passivization. Furthermore, Chinese exploits the preposition gei to express beneficiency in an intermediate or a peripheral reflexive construction. The predicate verb in an intermediate or a peripheral reflexive is reflexive in nature. However, with the insertion of the preposition gei, reflexivity is bleached and the sentence acquires beneficiency. Conversely, Japanese uses the same construction for both cases.

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