The Vietnamese Polyfunctional Marker Mà as a Generalized Linker: A Multilevel Approach

Abstract

The main aim of this paper is to illustrate the notions of polyfunctionality and transcategoriality as described in Robert (2003, 2004) through the case study of the marker mà in modern Vietnamese. We lay out a multilevel analysis to account for its flexible categorial status. It will be proposed that mà is best treated as a Generalized Linker whose basic function consists in connecting two constituents of different types. We show that the transcategorial behavior of this morpheme results from its ability to operate on different levels: phrase level (relativizer, verbal conjunction), clause level (correlative conjunction), and sentence level (attitudinal sentence-final particle, discourse connector). In our account, the uses of mà at the sentence level and the weakening of its core function are the byproduct of some form of ellipsis targeting one of the two constituents connected by mà.