Under Ramchand’s Theory: A Theoretical Review of Resultatives in Homesign 

Cai Xiaoyong

College of Foreign Languages, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin China, 300387;

Abstract: This review evaluates Ramchand’s (2008) First-Phase Syntax in analyzing resultatives in homesign, synthesizing evidence for cross-modal syntactic universals and identifying gaps in adult homesign research. However, the encoding of hierarchical resultatives in adult homesign remains a critical gap. Its lack of a consistent branching bias poses a potential challenge for licensing argument-result mappings. This review thus identifies the central question of whether and how homesigners grammaticalize mono-clausal resultatives. By establishing this theoretical framework and pinpointing the empirical gap, this paper provides a direct foundation for subsequent experimental research that will test these predictions through elicited production tasks.

Key Words: Resultatives; Homesign; First-Phase Syntax; Event Structure; Syntax Acquisition

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