Polarity items are words or phrases which cannot appear in either positive or negative sentences. Roughly they can be divided into three types: negative polarity items [NPIs], positive polarity items [PPIs], and free choice items [FCIs].
NPIs occur only in environments with negative connotation (cf. Linebarger 1991). A Chinese example is given in (1), where the NP with rènhé 任何 ‘any’ is a NPI which cannot appear in positive sentences.
| 1. | 張三*(沒有)認識任何人。 |
|
| Zhāng Sān *(méi yǒu) rènshì rènhé rén. |
|
| Zhāng Sān not have know any person |
|
| ‘Zhāng Sān *(doesn’t) know anyone.’ |
In additi…