Grammaticalization of the Cantonese double object verb [pei ³⁵] in typological and areal perspectives

This paper examines five syntactic functions performed by the double object verb [pei ³⁵] (meaning 'to give') in the Cantonese dialects: (a) Indirect object marker; (b) beneficiary marker; (c) causative verb; (d) passive marker; and (e) instrument marker. It will, through cross-linguistic and cross-dialectal comparison, show how these functions are related to the double object verb as a result of grammaticalization which involves a number of semantic and cognitive processes such as desemanticization, decategorialization, and semantic-pragmatic inferencing. The grammaticalization paths and the chronological development of these functions of [pei ³⁵] will also be examined on the basis of synchronic and diachronic data from Cantonese. Finally, the multifunctionality of give found in some non-Sinitic languages spoken in China and the Southeast Asian linguistic area will be discussed from an areal perspective.