Reflexivization and Mình-Exceptional Local Binding by a Monomorphemic Anaphor?
This paper considers the distribution of the anaphor <i>mình</i> in Vietnamese and whether <i>mình</i> can be locally bound in the absence of the reflexivizing element <i>tự</i>. The patterning of Vietnamese <i>mình</i> poses a potential challenge to t...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Languages |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/10/3/44 |
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| Summary: | This paper considers the distribution of the anaphor <i>mình</i> in Vietnamese and whether <i>mình</i> can be locally bound in the absence of the reflexivizing element <i>tự</i>. The patterning of Vietnamese <i>mình</i> poses a potential challenge to theories of binding based on claims that anaphors that are monomorphemic reject local binding and are unable to reflexivize a predicate. The paper reports on an experiment designed to probe judgements of <i>mình</i> in local reflexive interpretations and concludes that, for many speakers from different regions of Vietnam, <i>mình</i> in object position may be interpreted reflexively with the subject of the same clause, without the need for <i>tự</i>. On the basis of patterns involving ellipsis and quantificational subjects, it is further shown that this is a genuine binding relation and not simple co-reference. Such conclusions are noted to have significant consequences for certain approaches to binding. |
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| ISSN: | 2226-471X |