This is an investigation into the grammaticalized system of focus-background agreement in Mandarin Chinese. The particles cai, jiu, dou and ye are, in a specific use type, shown to form the core of a highly systematic paradigm.
This book is not just a valuable companion for anyone interested in core aspects of Mandarin Chinese grammar. It caters for the interests of theoretical linguists as well as for linguists from other fields with an interest in information-structure, focus and contrastive topics, and quantification. The outstanding characteristic of this book, viz. its effortless...