Justifying Silent Elements in Syntax: The Case of a Silent Numeral, a Silent Classifier, and Two Silent Nouns in Mandarin Chinese

Abstract

This paper demonstrates in the Mandarin construction with a numeral (Num), classifier (CL) or measure word (MW), and a noun (N), each can be a silent element (SE). A multiplicative function exists between Num and CL/MW. Num as a multiplier one is redundant and can be silent. CL, whose multiplicand value is one, is redundant, when Num is overt. Thus, a silent Num YI, whose pronounced counterpart is yi ‘one’, can be licensed by an overt CL/MW, which are clitics in Mandarin and require a c-commanding head as host, which must satisfy additional prosodic constraints. A silent general CL, GE, can be licensed by an overt Num. MWs do not have SE counterparts. A silent N TIME is licensed by an overt time MW, while MONEY is licensed by a monetary MW. In both cases, the meaning of the SE is already part of the MW in [Num MW N].