文摘
英文文摘
声明
Introduction
0.1 Background of the Study
0.2 Aims of the Study
0.3 Organization of the Thesis
Chapter 1 Literature Review
1.1 Previous Studies on Empty Categories
1.1.1 Chomsky’s Theory
1.1.2 William and Bresnan’s Theory on PRO
1.1.3 Xu Liejiong’s Studies on Chinese Empty Categories
1.1.4 Huang Zhengde’s Studies on Empty Categories
1.1.5 Shen Yang’s Studies on Empty Categories
1.2 Comments on the Previous Studies on Empty Categories
Chapter 2 Theoretical Foundations
2.1 The Empty Category Theory
2.1.1 The Binding Theory
2.1.2 The Empty Category
2.1.3 The Pro-Drop Parameter
2.1.4 Chomsky’s Classification of Empty Categories
2.2 The Relevance Theory
2.2.1 Cognitive Context
2.2.2 Ostensive-inferential Communication
2.2.3 Optimal relevance
2.2.4 Principle of Economy
2.3 Summary
Chapter 3 A Syntactic Study of Chinese and English Empty Categories
3.1 A Syntactic Study of the Classification of Chinese and English Empty Categories
3.1.1 NP-trace in Chinese and English
3.1.2 Variable in Chinese and English
3.1.3 PRO in Chinese and English
3.1.4 Pro in Chinese
3.2 A Syntactic Study of the Generation of Chinese and English Empty Categories
3.2.1 Generation of NP-trace in Chinese and English
3.2.2 Generation of Variable in Chinese and English
3.2.3 Generation of PRO in Chinese and English
3.2.4 Generation of pro in Chinese
3.2.5 Summary
Chapter 4 A Cognitive Account of Chinese and English Empty Categories
4.1 A Cognitive Account of the Similarities between Chinese and English Empty Categories
4.1.1 Contextual Assumptions and the Generation of ECs
4.1.2 Inference and the Generation of PRO
4.1.3 Processing Effort and the Generation of ECs
4.1.4 Principle of Economy and the Generation of ECs
4.2 A Cognitive Account of the Differences between Chinese and English Empty Categories
4.2.1 Contextual Effects and the Fewer Phenomenon of ECs in Chinese
4.2.2 Processing Effort and the Lack of pro in English
4.3 Summary
Conclusion
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
