You Again: How Is Its Ambiguity Derived?

Abstract

It is well-known that an English sentence with a complex predicate modified by again displays a repetitive vs. restitutive ambiguity. Like English again, Chinese you ‘again’ modifying a resultative verb compound also exhibits a repetitive vs. restitutive ambiguity. However, Chinese differs from English in that the position of you ‘again’ is relatively fixed: it can only occur preverbally but not postverbally. This study examines how the ambiguity of Chinese you is derived. Investigating the scope interaction between you ‘again’ and an indefinite object, I argue that the ambiguity of you ‘again’ is structural but not lexical. I further propose that you ‘again’ moves overtly as a last resort to satisfy a PF requirement specific to Chinese.