• Original research article
  • July 1, 2017
  • Open access

CHINESE TOPIC IN SHI DINGXU’S WORKS

Abstract

The notions “topic” and “commentary” over the years evoke robust discussions among the linguists. Though these terms were studied in great detail the opinions on their role at the sentence and discourse level still differ. Among the different topic structure conceptions including classical, syntactic, textual, psycholinguistic, typological-stylistic and universal interpretations the works of the professor of Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shi Dingxu are worth special mention. The article describes Shi Dingxu’s basic conceptions of the so called “Chinese topic” represented in his papers of 1998 and 2000.

References

  1. Chao Y. R. A grammar of spoken Chinese. Berkeley - Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1968. 846 p.
  2. Li Ch. N., Thompson S. A. Mandarin Chinese: а Functional Reference Grammar. Berkley: Univ. of California Press, 1981. XVIII+691 p.
  3. Shi Dingxu. The nature of Chinese topics // Modern Foreign Languages. 1998. Vol. 2. P. 40-50.
  4. Shi Dingxu. Topic and Topic-Comment Constructions in Mandarin Chinese // Language. 2000. № 76.2. P. 383-408.
  5. Shi Dingxu. Topic Chain as a syntactic category in Chinese // Journal of Chinese Linguistics. 1989. Vol. 17. P. 223-262.

Author information

Kristina Eduardovna Kotsik

Moscow City University

About this article

Publication history

  • Published: July 1, 2017.

Keywords

  • топик
  • комментарий
  • топиковые структуры
  • топик китайского типа
  • синтаксис китайского языка
  • topic
  • commentary
  • topic structures
  • Chinese topic
  • Chinese syntax

Copyright

© 2017 The Author(s)
© 2017 Gramota Publishing, LLC

User license

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)