AUTHOR=Kim Nayoun , Li Ziying , Lu Jiayi 

TITLE=Island-sensitivity of two different interpretations of why in Chinese

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1059823

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1059823

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<p>It has been assumed that the <italic>wh</italic>-element <italic>weishenme</italic> “why” in Chinese has two distinct interpretations: a reason reading, which typically yields <italic>yinwei</italic> “because”-answers, and a purpose reading, which typically triggers <italic>weile</italic> “in order to”-answers. It is claimed that the two interpretations differ in island sensitivity: the reason <italic>weishenme</italic> is sensitive to islands while the purpose <italic>weishenme</italic> is not. Assuming that the reason <italic>weishenme</italic> is a <italic>wh</italic>-adverb without finer internal structure, while the purpose <italic>weishenme</italic> is a <italic>wh</italic>-PP consisting of the preposition <italic>wei</italic> “for” and a <italic>wh</italic>-DP <italic>shenme</italic> “what,” this contrast in island sensitivity can be considered as an instance of a broader generalization: the so-called argument-adjunct asymmetry (or the DP-adverb asymmetry) of <italic>wh</italic>-<italic>in-situ</italic> island sensitivity. However, recent experimental studies provided mixed findings on whether the argument-adjunct asymmetry of <italic>wh</italic>-<italic>in-situ</italic> island sensitivity actually holds. The current study focuses on the two interpretations of <italic>weishenme</italic> “why/for what” in Chinese, and provides evidence using a formal acceptability judgment experiment that the two <italic>weishenme</italic>s are both sensitive to islands, contrary to previous generalizations. Our results provide further empirical challenge to the so-called argument-adjunct asymmetry of <italic>wh</italic>-<italic>in-situ</italic> island sensitivity.</p>