ORDINAL PHRASES AND THE PROJECTION OF DP IN MANDARIN CHINESE

This paper discusses the di ordinal phrase [di + Num + Cl + N] (henceforth di ordinals) in Mandarin Chinese. We demonstrate that Barbiers' (2007) feature classification system for numerals is not applicable to Mandarin Chinese. Also, we argue that the properties of di ordinal phrases cannot be adequately accounted for by the superlative analysis proposed by Bhatt and Pancheva (2012). To address these issues, we propose a nominal analysis of Mandarin di ordinals, wherein the prefix di, denoting an ordering reading, functions as an underspecified D-element with respect to definiteness features. Our proposed analysis not only explains properties of di ordinal phrases but also provides an explanation for counterexamples found in H.-C. Tsai (2011).