Disjunctions in Mandarin Chinese
Yuan Ma

Abstract:
Whereas classical logic treats disjunction as a simple truth-functional connective, its expression in natural language is significantly more complex and polyfunctional. This thesis addresses this complexity by developing a novel functional classification for disjunctive expressions, based on an analysis of three distinct disjunctions in Mandarin Chinese: 或者 huòzhě, 还是 háishì, and 要么…要么 yàome…yàome.

We propose seven functions, distinguishing between core functions (Inclusive, Exclusive, Alternative), associated functions (List-marker, Dual-under-negation, Exhaustive), and an off-map function, the Possibility-marker, which exhibits modal-like properties. Our empirical analysis demonstrates that huòzhě acts as a standard declarative disjunction, háishì as an obligatorily interrogative disjunction, and yàome…yàome as a marker of exhaustive choice.

On the formal side, we demonstrate that Inquisitive Logic effectively models the interrogative semantics of háishì. However, to explain the Free Choice inferences associated with these disjunctions, we adopt an alternative framework, namely Bilateral State-based Modal Logic (BSML). Ultimately, this work provides a novel analytical map for the functional spectrum of disjunction, contributing to a deeper understanding of cross-linguistic variation.