A semantic study of Mandarin cai as a focus adverb in simple sentences

Abstract

This paper examines the use of cai as a focus adverb in simple sentences. Cai as a focus adverb is supported by the three properties it demonstrated, of which König [1] argues to be the distinctive properties of focus particles. As a focus adverb, cai demonstrates the unique property of being flexible in its direction of association, with its associated item possibly being an element either to its right or to its left, or even the entire sentence. Focal mapping will then be triggered, giving the tripartite partition of Operator [Background] [Focus], in which focus is mapped to the nuclear scope and the rest of the sentence, with focus replaced by a variable, to the background. Besides, it is its direction of association that determines the scalar or non-scalar use of cai, though context still plays a role. In its scalar use, the quantificational domain of cai will be determined by the relevant scale. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.