Abstract:
The structural representation levels of lexical semantics and mapping principle from semantics to syntax of Generative Lexicon could provide insightful explanation for the establishment of Chinese pivotal sentence. To be specific, structural lexical semantic representation of causative V
1 could explain the motivation for N
1+V
1+N
2+V
2's forming pivotal sentence. This is because in the qualia structure of causative V
1, ARG
2 occupies positions of two qualia roles as well as two sub-events. Nevertheless, it is not always clear, neither semantically nor syntactically, for causative V
1 to enter N
1+V
1+N
2+V
2 to form pivotal sentence. When V
1 carries meaning of
accompany or
assist as well, the structural lexical semantic representation of V
1 could change, with sub-events, event head as well as qualia structure being rearranged, which leads to different conditions of ambiguity. In accordance with the dynamic semantic generativity proposed by Generative Lexicon, V
2's meaning of
together and N
2's animacy could affect ambiguity caused by causative V
1 with
accompany meaning, while context or encyclopedia knowledge for ambiguity caused by causative V
1 with
assist meaning.