Topic and left periphery in Shanghainese
上海话的话题与左边际
Han Weifeng 韩巍峰; Shi Dingxu 石定栩

Abstract 摘要
This paper aims to present a novel picture of the left periphery in Shanghainese with special reference to the position of topic. We find that, contrary to Xu 徐 & Liu’s 刘 (2007) “major-vs.-sub-vs.-sub-sub-topic” distinction, all TopPs in Shanghainese land outside IP. The only landing site for pre-posed adverbs is Spec-TopP (rather than an independent Mod(ifier)P). Int(errogative)P is always generated lower than TopP. The difference between NP topics and AdvP topics lies in that the former can be headed by both spelt (with lexical topic marker) and silent (with comma intonation) heads, while the latter can only land in the Spec position of a spelt head. We also prove that there is a lower FocP within IP in Shanghainese. The FocP in CP and that in IP, however, allows of no co-occurrence. Finally, the left periphery in Shanghainese is described as: (Foc) Top (Foc) Int (Foc)... We find that up to three topics may be allowed in this dedicated position in Shanghainese.

本文旨在确定与区分上海话中话题的句法位置，并对相应的左边际进行详细地描写。文章指出，上海话的话题都生成于IP外，并没有Xu 徐 & Liu 刘 （2007）所说的“主话题”，“次话题”，“次次话题”之分。Spec-TopP是前置副词在IP外的唯一位置（而不会进入ModP）。疑问层（IntP）总是生成在低于话题层（TopP）的位置。名词短语作话题与副词短语作话题的区别在于，前者可以由显性话题标记（词汇标记）和隐性话题标记（停顿）引导，而后者只能由显性话题标记引导。文章还指出，上海话IP内也有一层焦点层（FocP），但其不能与左边际中的焦点层同时出现。最后，本文将上海话的左边际描述如下：（焦点层）话题层（焦点层）疑问层（焦点层）……。

Keywords 关键词

Shanghainese 上海话 Topic-Comment Constructions 话题-述题结构 Interrogatives 疑问词 Adverbs 副词 Left periphery 左边际

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