Title: A Functional Analysis of the Existential Clause of “you ^ NG ^ XG”

Abstract: This article aims at a functional analysis of the existential clause of the pattern “you ^ NG ^ XG” in Modern Chinese within the framework of Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG). It is found that the clause initial you is multifunctional and its textual function is more prominent than other functions. On this basis we propose that the pattern “you ^ NG ^ XG” is a kind of Existential Enhanced Theme Construction and it serves to highlight the enhanced Theme. Furthermore, the SFG analysis helps bring out the semantic features of Chinese Existential Enhanced Theme Construction and its differences from clause with indefinite subject at the discourse level.

Keywords: “you ^ NG ^ XG”, existential enhanced Theme Construction, functional analysis, clause with indefinite subject

Author: Yanbiao Dong, Ph.D. Candidate, School of Foreign Languages, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.

DOI: 10.19967/j.cnki.flc.2022.04.015