The Referential Characteristics of Topic

Topics demonstrate a strong cross-linguistic preference for definite or generic referents over indefinite ones. Chinese topics favor definite interpretations, often resisting explicit topic markers when used with indefinite subjects in Mandarin. Shanghainese enforces the definite requirement of topics even more strictly than Mandarin, often coercing otherwise indefinite forms into definite or generic readings. The exclusion of indefinites may be a functional byproduct of the topic's role as background information, which inherently conflicts with the foregrounding nature of indefinite markers. While some argue topics must be specific, empirical evidence suggests they can also be non-referential or non-specific under certain discourse conditions. Predicative elements and items representing categories rather than specific individuals can successfully function as topics in Chinese. Generic constituents are particularly suitable as topics due to their high degree of identifiability as established categories. Generic topics are especially prevalent in domain-defining structures and copy topic constructions where the topic describes a general category. Quantified expressions exhibit unique topical behaviors based on whether they emphasize individual referents or numerical quantities. Fronted universal quantifiers function as topics in Chinese, despite some theoretical arguments to the contrary, particularly evidenced by topic-marking in Shanghainese. Partitive structures using some often function as topics because they establish anaphoric relations with a larger, identifiable group. Numerical phrases can become topics when the quantity itself is the focal point of the preceding discourse.