Buyu-Structure Analysis

Zhu (1982) once made clear distinctions among three categories of buyu-structures: resultative buyu-structure (Jieguo Buyu结果补语in Chinese), potential buyu-structure (Keneng Buyu 可能补语 in Chinese) and state buyu-structure (Zhuangtai Buyu 状态补语 in Chinese). According to Zhu’s categorization, there is a obvious distinction between resultative buyu-structure and both of state and potential buyu-structure that an extra morpheme -de 得 is inserted between the main verb and the so-called buyu part in potential buyu-structure and state buyu-structure whereas no -de is there in resultative buyu-structure. For instance,

(1) a. 张三打哭了李四。 resultative buyu-structure Zhangsan da-ku le Lisi. Zhangsan beat-cry ASP

Dong 1998; Deng et al 2008; Feng 2013; Xiong 2013). The acceptability of sentences declines from (2a) to (7a) with the increase of the number of syllables of buyu. To be specific, in (2a) and (3a), the buyus are monosyllabic and the sentences are well accepted . In (4a) and (5a), the buyus are disyllabic words and the sentences are not that good; yet (4a) is much better than (5a) for the second character of the buyu in (4a) bears a neutral tone. In (6a) and (7a), the buyus consist of more than two syllables and they are completely unacceptable. Secondly, the objects can be free to appear after potential buyu, when the number of syllables is not too big, e.g. (2b), (3b), (4b) and (5b). Whereas, if the buyu consists of too many syllables, for instance four syllables in (6b) and (7b), those sentences would be much less natural. Third, no object is allowed in degree (state) buyu-structures, regardless of the number of syllables of buyu, e.g. all (c) sentences in (2-7). In other words, if there is a grammatical buyu-structure with the appearance of –de as well as an object immediately following [V+de+buyu], only potential reading can be generated. However, for all the unacceptable degree buyu sentences in (2-7), if we move the objects to the sentence initial position, or introduce verb-copying or the ba¬--construction (a causal structure), those sentences are

In other words, if buyu comes after the verb, nothing can follow the buyu. Thus, none of those buyu could precede an object. The contradiction here suggests that a better explanation should be given beyond above arguments, though those arguments are still worth