Beyond Typology: How Event Integration Works in Motion Events - A Case Study of “V + Dào” Construction in Mandarin

Lin Yu

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14

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Beyond Typology: How Event Integration Works in Motion Events - A Case Study of “V + Dào” Construction in Mandarin

Lin Yu^*

Published in International Journal of Language and Linguistics (Volume 13, Issue 1)

Received: 31 December 2024 Accepted: 14 January 2025 Published: 10 February 2025

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Abstract

This study investigates the mechanisms of event integration in Mandarin motion events, with a specific focus on the widely used “V + Dào” construction, a representative verb complex in the language. Event integration, defined as the reconceptualization of events through conceptual conflation or integration, has traditionally been examined within the scope of either the main verb or the satellite. This research broadens the theoretical scope by introducing two complementary dimensions of event integration: internal event integration, where individual lexical items conflate multiple subevents, and external event integration, where subevents are integrated between the main verb and the satellite. Using a dataset of 611 “V + Dào” sentences extracted from a spoken Chinese corpus, the study identifies 12 distinct patterns of event integration. These patterns include combinations such as “(motion + manner) + (motion + path)” and “(motion + cause) + (motion + path),” illustrating the intricate interplay between semantic components. The analysis reveals that internal integration operates through the conflation of conceptual elements within “V” or “Dào,” while external integration is achieved through conceptual mapping and the semantic overlap between these components. The findings of this study advance our understanding of Mandarin’s typological flexibility and enrich existing theories on motion event encoding. By proposing a refined framework for analyzing event integration, this work offers new insights into cross-linguistic variation and highlights the significance of Mandarin as a language that challenges traditional dichotomies in motion event typology. These contributions underscore the importance of reconsidering established linguistic models to account for the complexity of event integration mechanisms in diverse languages.

Published in	International Journal of Language and Linguistics (Volume 13, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14
Page(s)	19-40
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Event Integration, Motion Event, “V + Dào” Constructions, Correlation Analysis, Visualization

References

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[21]	Talmy, L. (1985). Lexicalization patterns: semantic structure in lexical forms. In T. Shopen (Ed.) Language Typology and Syntactic Description, vol. 3: Grammatical Categories and the Lexicon (pp. 36-149). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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APA Style

Yu, L. (2025). Beyond Typology: How Event Integration Works in Motion Events - A Case Study of “V + Dào” Construction in Mandarin. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 13(1), 19-40. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14

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ACS Style

Yu, L. Beyond Typology: How Event Integration Works in Motion Events - A Case Study of “V + Dào” Construction in Mandarin. Int. J. Lang. Linguist. 2025, 13(1), 19-40. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14

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AMA Style

Yu L. Beyond Typology: How Event Integration Works in Motion Events - A Case Study of “V + Dào” Construction in Mandarin. Int J Lang Linguist. 2025;13(1):19-40. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14

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@article{10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14,
  author = {Lin Yu},
  title = {Beyond Typology: How Event Integration Works in Motion Events - A Case Study of “V + Dào” Construction in Mandarin
},
  journal = {International Journal of Language and Linguistics},
  volume = {13},
  number = {1},
  pages = {19-40},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijll.20251301.14},
  abstract = {This study investigates the mechanisms of event integration in Mandarin motion events, with a specific focus on the widely used “V + Dào” construction, a representative verb complex in the language. Event integration, defined as the reconceptualization of events through conceptual conflation or integration, has traditionally been examined within the scope of either the main verb or the satellite. This research broadens the theoretical scope by introducing two complementary dimensions of event integration: internal event integration, where individual lexical items conflate multiple subevents, and external event integration, where subevents are integrated between the main verb and the satellite. Using a dataset of 611 “V + Dào” sentences extracted from a spoken Chinese corpus, the study identifies 12 distinct patterns of event integration. These patterns include combinations such as “(motion + manner) + (motion + path)” and “(motion + cause) + (motion + path),” illustrating the intricate interplay between semantic components. The analysis reveals that internal integration operates through the conflation of conceptual elements within “V” or “Dào,” while external integration is achieved through conceptual mapping and the semantic overlap between these components. The findings of this study advance our understanding of Mandarin’s typological flexibility and enrich existing theories on motion event encoding. By proposing a refined framework for analyzing event integration, this work offers new insights into cross-linguistic variation and highlights the significance of Mandarin as a language that challenges traditional dichotomies in motion event typology. These contributions underscore the importance of reconsidering established linguistic models to account for the complexity of event integration mechanisms in diverse languages.
},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Beyond Typology: How Event Integration Works in Motion Events - A Case Study of “V + Dào” Construction in Mandarin

AU  - Lin Yu
Y1  - 2025/02/10
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14
T2  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
JF  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
JO  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
SP  - 19
EP  - 40
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-0221
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14
AB  - This study investigates the mechanisms of event integration in Mandarin motion events, with a specific focus on the widely used “V + Dào” construction, a representative verb complex in the language. Event integration, defined as the reconceptualization of events through conceptual conflation or integration, has traditionally been examined within the scope of either the main verb or the satellite. This research broadens the theoretical scope by introducing two complementary dimensions of event integration: internal event integration, where individual lexical items conflate multiple subevents, and external event integration, where subevents are integrated between the main verb and the satellite. Using a dataset of 611 “V + Dào” sentences extracted from a spoken Chinese corpus, the study identifies 12 distinct patterns of event integration. These patterns include combinations such as “(motion + manner) + (motion + path)” and “(motion + cause) + (motion + path),” illustrating the intricate interplay between semantic components. The analysis reveals that internal integration operates through the conflation of conceptual elements within “V” or “Dào,” while external integration is achieved through conceptual mapping and the semantic overlap between these components. The findings of this study advance our understanding of Mandarin’s typological flexibility and enrich existing theories on motion event encoding. By proposing a refined framework for analyzing event integration, this work offers new insights into cross-linguistic variation and highlights the significance of Mandarin as a language that challenges traditional dichotomies in motion event typology. These contributions underscore the importance of reconsidering established linguistic models to account for the complexity of event integration mechanisms in diverse languages.

VL  - 13
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Lin Yu

School of Foreign Languages, Henan University, Kaifeng, China

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3448-5213

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APA Style

Yu, L. (2025). Beyond Typology: How Event Integration Works in Motion Events - A Case Study of “V + Dào” Construction in Mandarin. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 13(1), 19-40. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14

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ACS Style

Yu, L. Beyond Typology: How Event Integration Works in Motion Events - A Case Study of “V + Dào” Construction in Mandarin. Int. J. Lang. Linguist. 2025, 13(1), 19-40. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14

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AMA Style

Yu L. Beyond Typology: How Event Integration Works in Motion Events - A Case Study of “V + Dào” Construction in Mandarin. Int J Lang Linguist. 2025;13(1):19-40. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14,
  author = {Lin Yu},
  title = {Beyond Typology: How Event Integration Works in Motion Events - A Case Study of “V + Dào” Construction in Mandarin
},
  journal = {International Journal of Language and Linguistics},
  volume = {13},
  number = {1},
  pages = {19-40},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijll.20251301.14},
  abstract = {This study investigates the mechanisms of event integration in Mandarin motion events, with a specific focus on the widely used “V + Dào” construction, a representative verb complex in the language. Event integration, defined as the reconceptualization of events through conceptual conflation or integration, has traditionally been examined within the scope of either the main verb or the satellite. This research broadens the theoretical scope by introducing two complementary dimensions of event integration: internal event integration, where individual lexical items conflate multiple subevents, and external event integration, where subevents are integrated between the main verb and the satellite. Using a dataset of 611 “V + Dào” sentences extracted from a spoken Chinese corpus, the study identifies 12 distinct patterns of event integration. These patterns include combinations such as “(motion + manner) + (motion + path)” and “(motion + cause) + (motion + path),” illustrating the intricate interplay between semantic components. The analysis reveals that internal integration operates through the conflation of conceptual elements within “V” or “Dào,” while external integration is achieved through conceptual mapping and the semantic overlap between these components. The findings of this study advance our understanding of Mandarin’s typological flexibility and enrich existing theories on motion event encoding. By proposing a refined framework for analyzing event integration, this work offers new insights into cross-linguistic variation and highlights the significance of Mandarin as a language that challenges traditional dichotomies in motion event typology. These contributions underscore the importance of reconsidering established linguistic models to account for the complexity of event integration mechanisms in diverse languages.
},
 year = {2025}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Beyond Typology: How Event Integration Works in Motion Events - A Case Study of “V + Dào” Construction in Mandarin

AU  - Lin Yu
Y1  - 2025/02/10
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14
T2  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
JF  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
JO  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
SP  - 19
EP  - 40
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-0221
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20251301.14
AB  - This study investigates the mechanisms of event integration in Mandarin motion events, with a specific focus on the widely used “V + Dào” construction, a representative verb complex in the language. Event integration, defined as the reconceptualization of events through conceptual conflation or integration, has traditionally been examined within the scope of either the main verb or the satellite. This research broadens the theoretical scope by introducing two complementary dimensions of event integration: internal event integration, where individual lexical items conflate multiple subevents, and external event integration, where subevents are integrated between the main verb and the satellite. Using a dataset of 611 “V + Dào” sentences extracted from a spoken Chinese corpus, the study identifies 12 distinct patterns of event integration. These patterns include combinations such as “(motion + manner) + (motion + path)” and “(motion + cause) + (motion + path),” illustrating the intricate interplay between semantic components. The analysis reveals that internal integration operates through the conflation of conceptual elements within “V” or “Dào,” while external integration is achieved through conceptual mapping and the semantic overlap between these components. The findings of this study advance our understanding of Mandarin’s typological flexibility and enrich existing theories on motion event encoding. By proposing a refined framework for analyzing event integration, this work offers new insights into cross-linguistic variation and highlights the significance of Mandarin as a language that challenges traditional dichotomies in motion event typology. These contributions underscore the importance of reconsidering established linguistic models to account for the complexity of event integration mechanisms in diverse languages.

VL  - 13
IS  - 1
ER  -

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