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Complement Coercion in Mandarin Chinese: Evidence from a Self-paced Reading Study

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Abstract

The study aims to explore the processing pattern of Mandarin Chinese sentences with complement coercion. Complement coercion is a known linguistic phenomenon in which some verbs, semantically requiring an event-denoting complement, are combined with an entity-denoting complement, as in Mary began the book. The combination (i.e., event-selecting verb + entity-denoting noun) has been reported to involve type mismatch, and thus elicits processing difficulty. While the phenomenon has been extensively studied in Indo-European languages, such as English and German, it is debatable if the phenomenon exists in a typologically distinct language from English (e.g., in structural complexity of words), such as Mandarin. To provide empirical evidence, the study conducted a self-paced reading experiment to compare the processing patterns of coercion sentences and non-coercion controls in Mandarin. The results showed longer reading times for the coercion sentences than the non-coercion counterparts, which supported previous findings about the processing difficulty of complement coercion.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Hui Zhang of Shanghai Jiaotong University for her assistance in data analysis. The authors are also grateful to the participants for their participation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Linguistics and Translation, City University of Hong Kong, Q78, B7704, Blue Zone, Yeung Kin Man Academic Building, 83, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China

    Wenting Xue & Meichun Liu

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  1. Wenting Xue
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  2. Meichun Liu
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Correspondence to Wenting Xue.

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Appendices

Appendix 1: 24 Event-Selecting Verbs Selected from Both Lin et al. (2009) and Song (2015)

开始

kāi-shǐ

停止

tíng-zhǐ

错过

cuò-guò

学(习)

xué-(xí)

赞成

zàn-chéng

同意

tóng-yì

start Ving

stop Ving

miss Ving

learn to

agree to

agree to

支持

zhī-chí

反对

fǎn-duì

尝试

cháng-shì

试

shì

负责

fù-zé

避免

bì-miǎn

advocate Ving

oppose Ving

try to

try Ving

manage to

avoid Ving

需要

xū-yào

要求

yāo-qiú

允许

yǔn-xǔ

禁止

jìn-zhǐ

渴求

kě-qiú

渴望

kě-wàng

need to

ask sb. to

allow to

forbid

long to

desire to

乞求

qǐ-qiú

拒绝

jù-jué

喜欢

xǐ-huān

讨厌

tǎo-yàn

推荐

tuī-jiàn

赶

gǎn

beg sb. to

refuse to

like to

hate to

recommend Ving

rush to

Appendix 2: Stimuli in Self-paced Reading Experiment

All the Mandarin experimental sentences are presented in the following, with Pinyin (official romanization system for Mandarin), English glossary, as well as English translation. For each sentence, the first verb is a coercion verb, followed with a preferred verb and a non-preferred verb respectively. After the third slash is a fullVP preferred structure composed of a coercion verb and a preferred verb.

  1. 1)

    小学已经开始/开设/接触/开始开设英语课程真的是有点早。

    xiao-xue yi-jing kai-shi/kai-she/jie-chu/kai-shi kai-she ying-yu ke-chen zhen-de shi you-dian zao

    primary school already start/set up/get to know/start set up English course really is little early

    ‘It is little early to start/set up/ get to know/start setting up an English course at primary school.’

  2. 2)

    小丽打算停止/播放/收听/停止播放背景音乐以此来认真学习。

    xiao-li da-suan ting-zhi/bo-fang/shou-ting/ting-zhi bo-fang bei-jing yin-yue yi-ci lai ren-zhen xue-xi

    Lily plan stop/play/listen to/stop play background music this to seriously study

    ‘Lily is thinking to stop/play/listen to/stop playing background music so that she can study seriously.’

  3. 3)

    小王再次错过/购买/销售/错过购买打折产品心里很难过。

    xiao-wang zai-ci cuo-guo/gou-mai/xiao-shou/cuo-guo gou-mai da-zhe chan-ping xin-li hen nan-guo

    Mr. Wang again miss/buy/sell/miss buy discount product in the heart very sad

    ‘Mr. Wang felt sad because he missed/bought/sold/missed buying products with discount again.’

  4. 4)

    小马以前学习/驾驶/制造/学习驾驶军用飞机拍了些照片。

    xiao-ma yi-qian xue-xi/jia-shi/zhi-zao/xue-xi jia-shi jun-yong fei-ji pai-le xie zhao-pian

    Mr. Ma once learn to/drive/make/learn to drive military aeroplane take some photo

    ‘Mr. Ma took some photos when he learned to/drove/made/learned to drive the military aeroplane.’

  5. 5)

    全球已经赞成/建立/开展/赞成建立多极世界以此来促进发展。

    quan-qiu yi-jing zan-cheng/jian-li/kai-zhan/zan-cheng jian-li duo-ji shi-jie yi-ci lai cu-jin fa-zhan

    world already agree to/establish/promote/agree to establish multipolar world this to advance development

    ‘The world has already agreed to/established/promoted/agreed to establish a multipolar world to advance the development.’

  6. 6)

    大家全都同意/采用/实施/同意采用这个方案从而来拯救困境。

    da-jia quan-dou tong-yi/cai-yong/shi-shi/tong-yi cai-yong zhe-ge fang-an cong-er lai zheng-jiu kun-jing

    everyone all agree to/adopt/implement/agree to adopt this solution thus to rescue predicament

    ‘Everyone agreed to/adopted/implemented/agreed to adopt this solution to get out of the predicament.’

  7. 7)

    国家一直支持/发展/创办/支持发展私有企业以其来提高经济。

    guo-jia yi-zhi zhi-chi/fa-zhan/chuang-ban/zhi-chi fa-zhan si-you qi-ye yi-qi lai ti-gao jing-ji

    country always advocate/develop/build/advocate develop private enterprise this to boost economy

    ‘The nation always advocates/develops/builds/advocates developing private enterprises to boost the national economy.’

  8. 8)

    父亲一直反对/服用/利用/反对服用滋补药品保持其身体健康。

    fu-qin yi-zhi fan-dui/fu-yong/li-yong/fan-dui fu-yong zi-bu yao-ping bao-chi qi shen-ti jian-kang

    father always oppose/take/use/oppose taking nutritious medicine keep its body healthy

    ‘My father always opposes/takes/uses/opposes taking the tonic to keep the healthy.’

  9. 9)

    小吴即将尝试/拍摄/创作/尝试拍摄喜剧电影从而来提升知名度。

    xiao-wu ji-jiang chang-shi/pai-she/chuang-zuo/chang-shi pai-she xi-ju dian-ying cong-er lai ti-sheng zhi-ming-du

    Mr.Wu will try to/shoot/create/try to shoot comedy movie thus to enhance reputation

    ‘Mr. Wu will try to/shoot/create/try to shoot comedy movies to enhance his reputation.’

  10. 10)

    妈妈再次试了/做了/买了/试着做了奶酪布丁我们很喜欢吃。

    ma-ma zai-ci shi-le/zuo-le/mai-le/shi-zhe zuo-le nai-lao bu-ding wo-men hen xi-huan chi

    mother again try/make/buy/try make cheese pudding we very like eat

    ‘My mom tried/made/bought/tried making cheese pudding again and we liked it very much.’

  11. 11)

    小叶即将负责/建设/开发/负责建设招工网站这是我安排的。

    xiao-ye ji-jiang fu-ze/jian-she/kai-fa/fu-ze jian-she zhao-gong wang-zhan zhe-shi wo an-pai-de

    Ms.Ye will manage to/set up/develop/manage to set up the recruitment website this is I arrange

    ‘Ms. Ye will manage to/set up/develop/manage to set up the recruitment website and this is the task that I asked her to do.’

  12. 12)

    他们为了避免/支付/花费/避免支付高昂费用再次要进行裁员。

    ta-men wei-le bi-mian/zhi-fu/hua-fei/bi-mian zhi-fu gao-ang fei-yong zai-ci yao jin-xing caiyuan

    they for avoid/pay/spend/avoid paying high expenses again will plan layoff

    ‘To avoid/pay/spend/avoid paying high expenses, they are planning a layoff.’

  13. 13)

    各国全都需要/制定/实施/需要制定相关法律从而来有效控烟。

    ge-guo quan-dou xu-yao/zhi-ding/shi-shi/xu-yao zhi-ding xiang-guan fa-lv cong-er lai you-xiao kong-yan

    each country all need to/make/enforce/need to make relevant convention thus to effectively tobacco control

    ‘All countries need to/make/enforce/need to make relevant conventions for the effective control of tobacco.’

  14. 14)

    公民通常要求/享受/获得/要求享受民主权利但是却不尽义务。

    gong-ming tong-chang yao-qiu/xiang-shou/huo-de/yao-qiu xiang-shou ming-zhu quan-li dan-shi que bu-jing yi-wu

    citizen usually ask to/enjoy/obtain/ask to enjoy democracy rights but while not perform duty

    ‘citizens usually ask (to)/enjoy/obtain/ask to enjoy democracy rights but not perform duties.’

  15. 15)

    媒体可以允许/播放/拍摄/允许播放减肥广告但是有一定限制。

    mei-ti ke-yi yun-xu/bo-fang/pai-she/yun-xu bo-fang jian-fei guang-gao dan-shi you yi-ding xian-zhi

    media can allow to/play/shoot/allow to play weight-loss commercial but have certain restriction

    ‘The media is allowed to/can play/can shoot/is allowed to play weight-loss commercials with certain restrictions.’

  16. 16)

    工厂一直禁止/雇佣/招收/禁止雇佣未成年人这是很正确的行为。

    gong-chang yi-zhi jin-zhi/gu-yong/zhao-shou/jin-gzhi gu-yong wei-cheng-nian-ren zhe-shi hen zheng-que-de xing-wei

    manufactory always forbid/employ/recruit/forbid to employ child labour this is very correct behaviour

    ‘Manufactories are forbidden with/employ/recruit/are forbidden to employ child labour and this is an effective measure.’

  17. 17)

    农民现在渴求/获取/掌握/渴求获取科技知识以此来提高产量。

    nong-ming xian-zai ke-qiu/huo-qu/zhang-wo/ke-qiu huo-qu ke-ji zhi-shi yi-ci lai ti-gao chan-liang

    farmer now long to/acquire/master/long to acquire technology knowledge this to increase yield

    ‘farmers are longing to/acquiring/mastering/longing to acquire science and technology to increase the yields of crops.’

  18. 18)

    人们一直渴望/呼吸/获得/渴望呼吸新鲜空气从而来保持健康。

    ren-men yi-zhi ke-wang/hu-xi/huo-de/ke-wang hu-xi xin-xian kong-qi cong-er lai bao-chi jian-kang

    people always desire to/have a breath of/get/desire to breath fresh air thus to keep healthy

    ‘people always desire to/have a breath of/get/desire to have a breath of fresh air to keep healthy.’

  19. 19)

    老人正在乞求/获取/吃/乞求获取一点食物以此来填饱肚子。

    lao-ren zheng-zai qi-qiu/huo-qu/chi/qi-qiu huo-qu yi-dian shi-wu yi-ci lai tian-bao du-zi

    old man now beg/get/eat/beg get some food this to fill stomach

    ‘The old man is begging for/getting/eating/begging for getting some food to satisfy his hunger.’

  20. 20)

    婴儿有时拒绝/喝/吃/拒绝喝无糖奶粉这时要怎么办。

    ying-er you-shi ju-jue/he/chi/ju-jue he wu-tang nai-fen zhe-shi yao zen-me-ban

    baby sometimes refuse/drink/eat/refuse drink without sugar milk at the time need how

    ‘Babies sometimes refuse/drink/eat/refuse to drink the milk without sugar and how mothers do if this happens.’

  21. 21)

    妈妈总是喜欢/包/吃/喜欢包肉馅饺子家人很不开心。

    ma-ma zong-shi xi-huan/bao/chi/xi-huan bao rou-xian jiao-zi jia-ren hen bu-kai-xin

    mother always like/make/eat/like meat dumplings families very not happy

    ‘My mom always likes/makes/eats/likes to make dumplings filled with meat and my families are not happy about that.’

  22. 22)

    姐姐一直讨厌/喝/闻/讨厌喝特浓咖啡因为它有味道。

    jie-jie yi-zhi tao-yan/he/wen/tao-yan he te-nong ka-fei yin-wei ta you wei-dao

    sister always hate/drink/smell/hate drink strong coffee because it has taste

    ‘My sister always hates/drinks/smells/hates to drink the strong coffee due to its taste.’

  23. 23)

    老师一直推荐/听/唱/推荐听这首歌曲缓解其工作压力。

    lao-shi yi-zhi tui-jian/ting/chang/tui-jian ting zhe-shou ge-qu huan-jie qi gong-zuo ya-li

    teacher always recommend/listen to/sing/recommend listen to this song relieve work stress

    ‘The teacher always recommends/listens to/sings/recommends listening to the song to relieve the stress at work.’

  24. 24)

    小苏一直赶着/观看/拍摄/赶着观看那部电影这样使自己很累。

    xiao-su yi-zhi gan-zhe/gua-nkan/pai-she/gan-zhe guan-kan na-bu dian-ying zhe-yang shi zi-ji hen-lei

    Ms.Su always rush/watch/shoot/rush to watch that movie this make herself very tired

    ‘Ms.Su rushed to/watched/shot/rushed to watch the movie and this made herself very tired.

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Xue, W., Liu, M. Complement Coercion in Mandarin Chinese: Evidence from a Self-paced Reading Study. J Psycholinguist Res 50, 757–776 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-020-09744-1

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