The Syntax of the Sentence-final Particle gaa3 in Cantonese

Zhiyin Yu; Xiaoshi Hu

doi:10.29499/CrCL.202507_104(2).0022

PDF(684 KB)

Current Research in Chinese Linguistics ›› 2025, Vol. 104 ›› Issue (2) : 653-678. DOI: 10.29499/CrCL.202507_104(2).0022

Chinese Language Studies

The Syntax of the Sentence-final Particle gaa3 in Cantonese

Zhiyin Yu, Xiaoshi Hu^*

Author information +

History +

Abstract

The present study focuses on the syntax of the sentence-final particle gaa3 in Cantonese from a cartographic perspective. Gaa3 can be observed in three distinct constructions (exclamative, declarative and interrogative) with respect to five different contexts (plain statement, simple information-seeking question, exclamation, warning, and quick-answer-demanding question). By examining the grammatical properties and interpretations of each gaa3, this paper offers a unified syntactic analysis for the different occurrences of gaa3. We argue that Tang’s (2020) framework can well account for the different occurrences of gaa3, which involve different underlying movements. This adds weight to the neo-perfomative approach which aims at syntacticizing properties of speech acts with a fine-grained hierarchy at the left periphery.

Key words

cartography / syntax / sentence-final particle / Cantonese

Cite this article

EndNote

Ris (Procite)

Bibtex

Download Citations

Zhiyin Yu, Xiaoshi Hu. The Syntax of the Sentence-final Particle gaa3 in Cantonese[J]. Current Research in Chinese Linguistics. 2025, 104(2): 653-678 https://doi.org/10.29499/CrCL.202507_104(2).0022

References

Cheng, Ting-au. 1990. Yueyu “Xian” Fenxi. Guangzhou: Jinan Daxue Chubanshe. 鄭定歐.1990.粵語“先”分析.廣州:暨南大學出版社.
Cheung, Samuel Hung-nin. 2007. Xianggang Yueyu Yufa de Yanjiu. Xianggang: Zhongwen Daxue Chubanshe. 張洪年.2007.香港粵語語法的研究.香港:中文大學出版社.
Chor, Winnie, Foong Ha Yap & Tak-sum Wong.2016. Chinese interrogative particles as talk coordinators at the right periphery: A discourse-pragmatic perspective.Journal of Historical Pragmatics 17(2). 178-207.
Cinque, Guglielmo.1999. Adverbs and functional heads. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Fang, Xiaoyan.2002. Guangzhouhua jumo yuqizhuci dui juzi biaoshuxing de zuoyong. Guangzhou: Jinan University boshi xuewei lunwen. 方小燕.2002.廣州話句末語氣助詞對句子表述性的作用.廣州:暨南大學博士學位論文.
Fang, Xiaoyan.2003. Guangzhouhua Fangyan Jumo Yuqi Zhuci. Guangzhou: Jinan Daxue Chubanshe. 方小燕.2003.廣州話方言句末語氣助詞.廣州:暨南大學出版社.
Fung, Roxana Suk-Yee.2000. Final particles in standard Cantonese: Semantic extension and pragmatic inference. Columbia: The Ohio State University doctoral dissertation.
Gao, Huanian.1980. Guangzhou Fangyan Yanjiu. Xianggang: Shangwu Yinshuguan. 高華年.1980.廣州方言研究.香港:商務印書館.
Heim, Johannes, Hermann Keupdjio, Zoe Wai-Man Lam, Adriana Osa-Gómez, Sonja Thoma & Martina Wiltschko.2016. Intonation and particles as speech act modifiers: A syntactic analysis.Studies in Chinese Linguistics 37(2). 109-129.
Hoekstra, Eric & Cornelius Jan Wouter Zwart.1994. De structuur van de CP. Functionele projecties voor topics en vraagwoorden in het Nederlands.Spektator 23. 191-212.
Kwok, Helen.1984. Sentence particles in Cantonese. Hong Kong: Centre of Asian Studies, University of Hong Kong.
Lam, Zoe Wai-Man.2014. A complex ForceP for speaker- and addressee-oriented discourse particles in Cantonese. Studies in Chinese Linguistics 35(2). 61-80.
Lau, Chaak-ming.2019. Cong Yueyu jumo zhuci “aa3” kan juzi de bianyuan jiegou. Xianggang: Xianggang Zhongwen Daxue boshi xuewei lunwen. 劉澤明.2019.從粵語句末助詞“啊”看句子的邊緣結構.香港:香港中文大學博士學位論文.
Law, Sam-Po.1990. The syntax and phonology of Cantonese sentence-final particles. Boston, MA: Boston University dissertation.
Leung, Chung-Sum.1992. Xianggang Yueyu yuzhuci de yanjiu. Xianggang: Xianggang Ligong Daxue shuoshi xuewei lunwen. 梁仲森.1992.香港粵語語助詞的研究.香港:香港理工大學碩士學位論文.
Li, Boya.2006. Chinese final particles and the syntax of the periphery. Leiden: Leiden University dissertation.
Light, Timothy.1983. Closing the aperture on focus: A note on Cantonese-ge. In Ting-chi Tang, Robert L. Cheung & Ying-che Li (eds.), Studies in Chinese syntax and semantics: Universe and scope: Presupposition and quantification in Chinese, 103-111. Taipei: Student Book Co.
Mai, Yun & Buyun Tan.2016. Shiyong Guangzhouhua Fenlei Cidian. Xianggang: Shangwu Yinshuguan Youxian Gongsi. 麥耘、譚步雲.2016.實用廣州話分類詞典.香港:商務印書館有限公司.
Matthews, Stephen & Virginia Yip.1994. Cantonese: A comprehensive grammar. London & New York: Routledge.
Pan, Victor Junnan & Waltraud Paul.2016. Why Chinese SFPs are neither optional nor disjunctors.Lingua 170. 23-34.
Paul, Waltraud.2014. Why particles are not particular: Sentence-final particles in Chinese as heads of a split CP.Studia Linguistica 68(1). 77-115.
Peng, Xiaochuan.2010. Guangzhouhua Zhuci Yanjiu. Guangzhou: Jinan Daxue Chubanshe. 彭小川.2010.廣州話助詞研究.廣州:暨南大學出版社.
Rizzi, Luigi.1997. The fine structure of the left periphery. In Liliane Haegeman (ed.), Elements of grammar, 281-337. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Ross, John R.1970. On declarative sentences. In Roderick A. Jacobs & Peter S. Rosenbaum (eds.), Readings in English transformational grammar, 222-272. Waltham, MA: Ginn.
Speas, Margaret.2004. Evidentiality, logophoricity and the syntactic representation of pragmatic features.Lingua 114(3). 255-276.
Sybesma, Rint.2004. Exploring Cantonese tense. In Leonie Cornips & Jenny Doetjes (eds.), Linguistics in the Netherlands 2004, 169-180. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Sybesma, Rint & Boya Li.2007. The dissection and structural mapping of Cantonese sentence final particles.Lingua 117. 1739-1783.
Tang, Sze-Wing.2006. Yueyu yiwenju “xian” de jufa tedian. Zhongguo Yuwen 3. 225-232. 鄧思穎.2006.粵語疑問句“先”的句法特點.中國語文 3.225-232.
Tang, Sze-wing.2015. Yueyu Yufa Jiangyi. Xianggang: Shangwu Yinshuguan. 鄧思穎.2015.粵語語法講義.香港:商務印書館.
Tang, Sze-Wing.2020. Cartographic syntax of performative projections: Evidence from Cantonese.Journal of East Asian Linguistics 29. 1-30.
Tenny, Carol L.2006. Evidentiality, experiencers, and the syntax of sentience in Japanese.Journal of East Asian Linguistics 15(3). 245-288.
Wiltschko, Martina.2017a. Ergative constellations in the structure of speech acts. In Jessica Coon, Diane Massam & Lisa deMena Travis (eds.), The Oxford handbook of ergativity, 419-446. Oxford & New York: Oxford University Press.
Wiltschko, Martina.2017b. Response particles beyond answering. In Laura R. Bailey & Michelle Sheehan (eds.), Order and structure in syntax I: Word order and syntactic structure, 241-279. Berlin: Language Science Press.
Wiltschko, Martina.2017c. Response markers as a window into linguistic modularity. In Clemens Mayr & Edwin Williams (eds.), Wiener Linguistische Gazette 82, 303-311. Vienna: Institut für Sprachwissenschaft, Universität Wien.
Wiltschko, Martina & Johannes Heim.2016. The syntax of confirmationals: A neo-performative analysis. In Gunther Kaltenböck, Evelien Keizer & Arne Lohmann (eds.), Outside the clause: Form and function of extra-clausal constituents, 303-340. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Yip, Moira.2002. Tone. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Zwart, Cornelius Jan Wouter.1993. Dutch syntax: A minimalist approach. Groningen: University of Groningen doctoral dissertation.