The Interaction between Quantification and VO/OV Word Order in Shanghainese

Abstract

Chinese is typologically classified as a Verb-Object (VO) language. However, Wu Chinese, a branch spoken in southeast China, frequently demonstrates Object-Verb (OV) constructions, a phenomenon that has sparked extensive scholarly debate. While some attribute these fronted objects to topicalization, others argue that preverbal objects do not consistently function as topics. This study offers a novel perspective on this atypical word order, challenging existing theories. It identifies semantic factors—specifically, the role of quantifiers—as the primary triggers for OV constructions, distinguishing them from topic constructions. Focusing on Shanghainese, a Northern Wu dialect, the study examines three categories of elements that prompt non-topical object fronting: determiners, aspectual markers, and focus adverbs. These are analyzed as determiner quantifiers, adverbial quantifiers, and alternative-based quantifiers, respectively, following Chierchia (2024). Additionally, the study posits that Shanghainese exhibits scope transparency, aligning its Logical Form closely with surface syntactic structure. Following Fox and Johnson’s (2016) analysis of Quantifier Raising (QR), it is argued that the restrictive domain of quantificational expressions must be fronted in this language, resulting in deviations from the VO norm.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Supervisor	James Edward Barbour SIMPSON (Supervisor) & Min ZHANG (Supervisor)