Rethinking Wh-island Effects in Chinese

The traditional observation that Chinese -arguments do not exhibit -island effects may be only apparent. With new evidence from “how-many” phrases, it is demonstrated that Chinese has -island effects even with -arguments. What nullifies such effects is in fact the disguise of D-linkedness. Although the lack of -island effects seems to pattern Chinese -construals with Japanese ones, further tests show that these two languages are still different with respect to strong island effects, (anti-)crossing effects, and multiple -interpretations. The finding leads to the need to reinvestigate the mechanisms underlying the scope-taking elements of -in-situ languages on the one hand, and those triggering -island effects on the other.