On the properties of the WH-elements in Chinese
汉语疑问代词的性质
Yu-Zhi Shi 石毓智

Abstract 摘要
This article investigates the properties of the Chinese wh-elements from these three aspects: (i) the co-occurrence constraints between wh-elements and the so-called question operator NE; (ii) the contrast between wh-elements and polarity items; (iii) the conceptual relation among the three uses of wh-elements–interrogation, universal reference, and indefiniteness. Mainly on the basis of empirical observations, I argue against two prevalent viewpoints: (i) the Chinese wh-elements are not intrinsically interpreted as interrogative markers; (ii) the Chinese wh-elements are sort of polarity item. In addition, this paper tries to demonstrate that there exists a syntactic and semantical parallel between the two wh-systems of English and Chinese.

本文从以下三个方面来考察汉语疑问代词的性质：（一）疑问代词与所谓疑问算子 “呢” 之间的共现限制；（二）疑问代词与否定性成分的差别；（三）疑问代词的三种用法–疑问、遍指、不定指–之间的内在联系。根据我们的考察，以下两种观点是有问题的：（一）汉语疑问代词本质上不表疑问;（二）汉语疑问代词是一种否定性成分。另外，文章还说明了，汉语和英语疑问代词之间存在着系统的语义和句法对应。

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