Проблемы китайского и общего языкознания. К 90-летию С. Е. Яхонтова

 566    Christoph Harbsmeier 1.2.2.4.2. VPi0 tài píng z ti n xià h n 太平則天下和安 GREAT PEACE THEN SKY UNDER HARMONY PEACE “When there is great peace then in All under Heaven there will be harmonious peace.” *The intransitive verb phrase here is logically subjectless* [NB: It stands to argue that h n 和安 “there is harmony and peace” is also subjectless, and that ti n xià 天下 “All under Heaven” is a topic here, and not a subject.] 1.2.2.4.2.1. VPi0adS1.postS2 jū yǒu qǐng , ... 居有頃 , ... PERSIST HAVE TIME “ After a while , ...” *modifying one sentence and being in construction with a preceding other sentence* 1.2.2.4.3. VPi[0] zh n-zhu n 輾轉 TURN TURN’ “[Time] passes ” * VPi has a lexically retrievable implicit subject* 1.2.2.4.3.1. VPi[0]postadS yì y u r n yì ér-yǐ-yǐ 亦有仁義而已矣 “I surely have morality, and that is all .” *modifies a preceding sentence* 1.2.2.4.4. VPi(0) hé-rú 何如 WHICH/OBJECT RESEMBLE “(This contextually determinate thing) is why? ” *has a contextually retrievable im- plicit subject* 1.2.2.5. Transitive VPs {VPt...} 1.2.2.5.1. VPtoN shā-sǐ r n 殺死人 KILL DEAD PERSON “ kill others” *with explicit nominal object* [NB: This is a late colloquial exam- ple! But we have passive cases in classical Chinese: 二世殺死 TWO EM- PEROR KILL-DIE “The second emperor was killed .”] 1.2.2.5.1.1. VPt[0]oN qǐng-wèn kè 請問客 BEG ASK STRANGER “ May [I] ask about the stranger?” * VPt has an implicit lexically retrievable subject* 1.2.2.5.1.1.1. VPt[0]oNab g n wèn qí f ng 「敢問其方。」 BEG ASK PRO/GENETIVE > THE METHOD "[I] venture to ask about the method." *the object N is abstract* [NB: The only reason why we introduce this is that we happen to have a cognitive interest in abstract questions and problemati- sation in general. Obviously, questions can also be asked in classical Chinese concerning concrete objects.] 1.2.2.5.1.1.2. VPt[0](oN) jìng-nuò 敬諾 RESPECT-AGREE “[I] re- spectfully agree (with the contextually determinate point made).” *the im- plicit object is contextually retrievable* [NB: Contrast the much more com- mon VPt[0](oV) use of this expression in the sense of “[I] hereby agree respectfully (to do what is suggested in the context)”. What is so striking about this example is that the omission of the object is actually obligatory, although semantically the retrieval of these objects is essential to an under- standing of what is being said.]