Abstract: Both the Mandarin copula "shi" and the Cantonese copula "shi" can be used for affirmative responses. From a cross linguistic perspective, it is not uncommon for conjunctions to simultaneously serve as responsive components. This article first argues that "shi" and "shi" should be considered as anaphoric components when used as affirmative response auxiliary words, supporting Krifka's (2013) analysis of corresponding answer auxiliary words. This article further points out that "shi" and "shi" can serve as anaphoric components and be used for affirmative responses, which is inseparable from the nature of their copulas. The connection between the two functions reflects the cyclic evolution of the process of grammaticalization of copulas (Lohndal 2009).
期刊介绍:
Journal of Chinese Linguistics (JCL) is an academic journal, which comprises research content from both general linguistics and Chinese linguistics. It is edited by a distinguished editorial board of international expertise. There are two publications: Journal of Chinese Linguistics (JCL) and Journal of Chinese Linguistics Monograph Series (JCLMS).