Impersonal Bei Sentences in Early Mandarin: Form and Function

This chapter investigates a specific type of bei construction in Early Mandarin, characterized by the absence of an overt subject. I propose that these bei sentences contain an empty subject position, accommodating either referential or non-referential subjects. The bei sentences with a non-referential subject are argued to exhibit similarities to impersonal constructions found in various languages (Malchukov & Siewierska, 2011; Siewierska, 2008) both in terms of form and function. The findings of this study will broaden the discussion of impersonal constructions beyond European languages, thereby enhancing our understanding of impersonal constructions across different languages.