@conference {4892, title = {Coordinate structure {\textquotedblleft}y{\`o}u{\textellipsis}y{\`o}u{\textellipsis}{\textquotedblright} in Mandarin Chinese: A semantic and syntactic analysis}, year = {2015}, month = {05/2015}, abstract = {

\  \  \  The structure \“y\òu\…y\òu\…\” is generally thought to coordinate predicates of a same subject. It describes coexisting properties or indicates actions that occur in the same time frame, and their conjuncts must belong to the same semantic domain (1-a). However, these descriptions are insufficient. Semantically, they could not explain why (1-b) is inacceptable. Syntactically, coordination of predicates with different subjects is actually possible (2-a), while constraints on it need to be specified (2-b). After analyzing 2096 examples of \“y\òu\…y\òu\…,\” we propose that (i) conjuncts of \“y\òu\…y\òu\…\” should agree on their aspectual features and that (ii) \“y\òu\…y\òu\…\” may coordinate predicates with different subjects if these predicates do not form independent sentences. Semantically, \“y\òu\…y\òu\…\” requires that aspectual features of their conjuncts be symmetrical; asymmetric combinations are either inacceptable or marked. When the structure coordinates dynamic predicates to indicate specific actions, the conjuncts must agree on their telicity (3-a, 3-b). When a stative predicate is coordinated with a dynamic one, the dynamic predicate should either have a habitual reading (3-c) or be marked by a perfective marker (3-d): the former strategy makes a dynamic situation stative, and the latter presents it as an indecomposable whole on the axis of time, which makes it possible to be viewed as a property of an individual. Syntactically, \“y\òu\…y\òu\…\” may coordinate predicates with different subjects in two conditions: (i) the coordinated propositions are related to another proposition in the sentence to indicate the cause (4-a, 4-b); (ii) the coordinated propositions share a same topic and serve to describe its properties (2-a). In other words, \“y\òu\…y\òu\…\” do not coordinate independent sentences (2-b). In the first condition, \“y\òu\…y\òu\…\” coordinates two subordinate propositions. In the second, the topic can be analyzed as a subject and the coordinated propositions as its predicates. To sum up, conjuncts of \“y\òu\…y\òu\…\” should not only belong to identical semantic domain but also have symmetric aspectual features. This structure may coordinate predicates with different subjects while it does not coordinate different sentences. Our findings complement the grammar of \“y\òu\…y\òu\…\” described in existing literature and could be useful to the teaching of this structure.

(1) a. Xiǎom\íng \ \ y\òu\  \  \ xǐ \  \  wǎn \  / \  *xǐzǎo \  \  \ \ y\òu\  \  zu\ò \ wǎnf\àn.

\  \  \  \  \ Xiaoming \ again wash \ bowl\ / take-a-bath again make dinner

\  \  \  \  \ \‘Xiaoming both did the dishes/*took a shower and made the dinner.\’

\  \  \  b. ??Xiǎom\íng y\òu\  \  \  \  xǐ-hǎo \  wǎn \ \ y\òu\  \  zu\ò \ wǎnf\àn.

\  \  \  \  \ Xiaoming \  \  again wash-done bowl again make dinner

\  \  \  \  \ \‘Xiaoming both finished the dishes and made the dinner.\’

(2) a. (*Z\ài) zh\èi ji{\={a}} \  \ gongsi, \ chǎnpǐn y\òu\  \  \ hǎo / d\é-gu\ò jiǎng, \  \ f\úw\ù

\  \  \  \  \ at \  \  \  \ this Cl. company, product again good/get-Exp. price, service \ 

\  \  \  \  \ y\òu\ \ qinqi\è.

\  \  \  \  \ again friendly\ \ 

\  \  \  \  \ \‘The products of this company are good/have won a prize and its\ service

\  \  \  \  \ is nice.\’

\  \  \  b. (Z\ài) zh\èi ji{\={a}} gongsi, \  \  \  jinglǐ \  \ \ (*y\òu) \ guǎnlǐ \  lǎo k\èh\ù, yu\ángong

\  \  \  \  \  at \  \  \ this Cl. company, manager again manage old client, employee\ 

\  \  \  \  \  (*y\òu) \ k{\={a}}if{\={a}} \  \ \ xin \ k\èh\ù.

\  \  \  \  \  again develop new client

\  \  \  \  \ \ \‘In this company, the manager takes care of old clients and the

\  \  \  \  \  employees develop new ones.\’

(3) a. Xu\ésheng-men y\òu\  \ ting \  \  \ k\è \  \  \ y\òu\  \ xi{\v e}(-??xi\à) bǐj\ì.

\  \  \  \  \ student-Pl. \  \  \  again listen lesson again write-down note

\  \  \  \  \ \‘The students both listened to the lectures and wrote down some notes.\’

\  \  \  b. Xiǎom\íng y\òu\  \ ch\àng-le \  \  \ ge, \  \ y\òu\  \ ti\ào??(-le) \  \  wǔ.

\  \  \  \  \  Xiaoming again \ sing-Acp. song, again dance-Acp. dance

\  \  \  \  \  \‘Xiaoming both sang and danced.\’

\  \  \  c. T{\={a}} \  \ \ y\òu lǎndu\ò\ \ y\òu ??(sh\ích\áng) tou \ dongxi.

\  \  \  \  \  s/he again \ lazy \ again \  \  \  \  often \  \ steal \ thing

\  \  \  \  \  \‘S/he is lazy and often steals things.\’

\  \  \  d. Y\í \ ge \ \ y\òu\  \  \  ji\é*(-gu\ò/-le) \  \  \  hun \  \  \  \ y\òu\  \ yǒu \ h\áizi de n\ánr\én\…

\  \  \  \  \ one\ Cl. again marry-Exp./Acp. marriage again have child Rel. man

\  \  \  \  \ \‘a man who had a marriage and who has a kid\… / a man who is married

\  \  \  \  \ and has a kid\…\’

(4) a. L\óuti y\òu lǎoji\ù, X\ú t\àitai y\òu\  p\àng, ??(zǒu de zizigege \  y\í \ pi\àn xiǎng).

\  \  \  \  \ stair again old, \  Xu \ Mrs.\ again fat, \  \  \  walk DE creaking one Cl. sound

\  \  \  \  \ \‘The stairs were old and Mrs. Xu was fat. When she walked down, it

\  \  \  \  \ made creaking noises.\’

\  \  \  b. B\àba \ \ y\òu\  \  \ x\ù \  \  \  \ jiǔ \  \  / \ l\íji{\={a}}chuzǒu, \ m{\={a}}m{\={a}} \  \ y\òu\  \ sheng-le

\  \  \  \  \  father again abuse alcohol / leave-home, mother again \ catch-Acp.\ 

\  \  \  \  \  b\ìng, \  \  \ ?(wǒ zhen \ b\ù \  zhid\ào \  g{\={a}}i \  \ z{\v e}nme b\àn.)

\  \  \  \  \  sickness, \  \ I \  really Neg. know have-to \ how \  \ do

\  \  \  \  \  \‘Dad is alcoholic/has left home and Mom is sick, I really don\’t know what

\  \  \  \  \  to do.\’

}, keywords = {coordinate structures, syntax, {\textquotedblleft}y{\`o}u{\textellipsis}y{\`o}u{\textellipsis}, {\textquotedblright} semantics}, author = {Ting-shiu Lin} }