《2019年度博士論文佳作獎》

姓名：周一銘（國立清華大學語言學研究所）指導教授：蔡維天教授

論文題目：限定詞組省略理論研究：從臺灣南島語觀點出發

中文摘要

本研究旨在探討南島文獻中較少觸及的限定詞組省略（DP ellipsis）、孤島效應和論旨分派間的互動機制，試圖在Chomsky (1993)最簡方案(Minimalist Program)的理論架構下，提出一致性解釋。

本文考察泰雅、賽夏和阿美等三種臺灣南島語，並聚焦在主格、賓格和屬格限定詞組省略現象，進而提出融合性觀點(hybrid view)說明其生成機制。我認為根據句法分佈(syntactic distributions)和抽取條件(extraction conditions)，討論中的空限定詞組(null DP)主要可以劃分為兩種次類別，亦即代詞性(pronominal)和變項性(variable)。代詞性空論元基底生成後，受GCR管轄；變項性空論元是移位後的拷貝(copy)，因為音韻刪略，而失去語音內容。變項性空論元因為涉及位移，故受近距限制 (locality constraints) 規範，而有孤島效應(island effects)。語意上，代詞性空論元只能出現在從句主格位置，並以主句主語為先行詞(antecedent)；而變項性空論元可以出現在主/賓格，甚至屬格位置，並與句子主題(topic)或言談中對象(discourse referent)共指。臺灣南島語的例子中，與限定詞組省略相關的句子歧義(ambiguity)或非預期論旨分派(unexpected theta-role assignment)，都支持並說明了空論元有必要依其句法、語意特性，進一步細分。

三種臺灣南島語在限定詞組省略的表現，略有不同，我亦進行類型學上的討論和初步分類。就語言類型而言，根據空論元的分佈和限制，三種目標語均可歸屬於言談導向語言，但可進一步細分，泰雅語為作格提取感應類(EEC-sensitive)，阿美和賽夏則是非作格提取感應類(non-EEC-sensitive)。簡要來說，在非主事語態結構中，屬格論元的省略在前者相對受限，但在後者相對自由。我認為這是由於泰雅語屬格論元主題特徵([TOP] feature)的值未指明，因此無法進行非論元移位去檢核特定核心語上的未譯的非論元特徵，例如：大句子上的主題特徵。透過南島語類型上的證據，驗證了不同類型的空語類，各具徵性，其空性(emptiness)程度有別。在光譜的兩端，嚴格者，如代詞性空論元，需在滿足特定句法條件下，才能被先行詞約束；其次，如變項性空論元，雖受近距限制，可以與語境對象共指，分佈相對自由；最後，少數例子最寬鬆，全然由言談語境決定共指對象，且不受近距限制規範。

英文摘要

This research aims to explore the interactions between DP ellipsis, island effects, and theta-role assignment. I try to provide a consistent explanation under the framework of the Minimalist Program (Chomsky 1993).

This research deals with DP ellipsis in three Formosan languages, including Atayal, Saisiyat and Amis. I focus on the characteristics of empty categories related to nominative, accusative and genitive position. According to syntactic distribution and extraction condition, I propose that the null DP in question can be divided into two types: pronominal and variable. The pronominal empty category is a based-generated element and is subject to GCR. However, the variable, a copy resulting from movement, has to conform to locality conditions. Semantically, only empty nominative DPs can have pronominal construal and take matrix subjects as their antecedents, whereas variable construal can occur in nominative and accusative position, or even in genitive position for some languages. This variable can be coindexed with a sentential topic or a discourse referent. According to Formosan languages, many facts, such as DP ellipsis-related ambiguity and unexpected theta-role assignment, support my argument that empty categories must be further classified depending on the corresponding syntactic and semantic characteristics.

Ialso propose a preliminary typological classification of my target languages. First, all of my target languages are discourse-oriented. However, they can be further divided into EEC-sensitive type (Atayal) and non-EEC-sensitive type (Saisiyat and Amis), which indicates that genitive DP ellipsis is restricted in the former but relatively free in the latter. I argue that the value of [TOP]feature of Atayal genitive DPs is underspecified, which prevents it from undergoing movement to check the uninterpretable [TOP]feature of a given head. The Formosan materials support the claim that different kinds of empty arguments possess unique features.

論文貢獻

        This thesis contributes to a better understanding of the properties of the empty categories in Formosan languages. Typologically, this thesis points out that Formosan languages can be divided into ergative-sensitive and non-ergative sensitive types. Empirically, this study provides new data involving Nominative Position Competition and Nominative DP Restriction. Theoretically, this thesis supports that two types of empty categories in Formosan languages, pronominal and variable, are subject to GCR and Binding Theory, respectively.