ABSTRACT
This chapter gives an account of Chinese questions using the “Alternative Semantics” theory. It is argued that the Alternative Semantics theory is even more favored by the principle of Economy in the Minimalist Program. One of the advantages of the Alternative Semantics theory over the two previous theories is that it gives the most economical parallel derivation between syntax and semantics. Another advantage is that it links the different interpretative possibilities of wh-indefinites together. Since there is no wh-question particle in Chinese, this is indeed what Alternative Semantics prefers, because the semantic mechanism in the theory makes the wh-binder semantically redundant. Even for the polar question particle –ma, the Alternative Semantics theory successfully points to its possible grammaticalization path, which is confirmed by diachronic data. The Alternative Semantics analysis is extended from wh-questions to all types of questions in Chinese, including A-not-A questions, alternative questions, VP-neg, and polar questions. It is shown that all Chinese questions are formed via a uniform template of alternative-formation.
