230248 The Syntax of Sinitic Languages (S) (WiSe 2026/2027)

This course will be taught by Julia Demina.

This course introduces the morphosyntax of Sinitic languages (Mandarin Chinese and related varieties) from a formal perspective and a comparative one, comparing Sinitic to German. Topics include word order and clause structure, argument realization, question formation, topic and focus structures, classifier systems, aspect marking, serial verb constructions, negation, modality, special syntactic constructions, and variation across Sinitic languages.
The course is designed for students with diverse linguistic backgrounds and does not require any prior knowledge of Chinese language. All linguistic examples will be provided in glossed form and discussed using analytical tools accessible to students with a basic background in syntax.