ABSTRACT
An analysis of the ba-construction in Mandarin Chinese supports the idea of an asymmetry in argument structure in which lexical rules are able to block the normal realization of external arguments, but not that of internal arguments. This may be seen in the contrast between the passive (also known as the bei-construction) and the ba-construction. In the passive, the external argument (object of bei) may be omitted, but in the ba-construction, the internal argument (object of ba) must always be present. This contrast is surprising if both constructions are the result of the same type of lexical process. In addition, the object of ba does not need to be an argument of the adjacent verb. This may be seen in “extent” or “result” complement clauses, where the subject of that clause may be realized as the object of ba in the matrix clause. Evidence from clausal idioms supports this conclusion. The analysis here is thus consistent with the idea of a basic asymmetry in argument structure: lexical processes can block external arguments, but not internal arguments.
