Prosodic grammar is a new research area. This book uses theories to discuss many prosodic issues in language, especially in Chinese, so as to enhance people’s understanding of the interaction between prosody and grammar.

This book collects seven articles, which fall into three parts: the first part is the articles on prosodic grammar, including the prosodic constraints on the distribution and realization of tonal events in Chaha, the interaction of register, prosody and grammar in “VR + NP” sentences, tone types and related issues of the modal particles in Chinese dialects, the relations among the sentence-final particles, tone and prosody in Tibetan and related issues, involving the prosodic issues in various languages; the second part discusses the materials and ideas related to prosodic grammar, i.e., it examines the classification and examples of trisyllabic verbs followed by objects in contemporary Chinese; the third part is a review of The Syntactic Words in Chinese, which makes a brief introduction and review of each chapter in that book. The articles are as follows:

“The Contribution of Mr. Zhengzhang Shangfang’s Archaic Chinese Phonology to the Study of Chinese Prosody—Deeply Cherish the Memory of Mr. Zhengzhang Shangfang” by Shi Xiangdong

“Tone Types and Related Issues of the Modal Particles” by Wang Jue

“On the Relations among Sentence-Final Particles, Tone and Prosody in Tibetan and Related Issues” by Yeshes Vodgsal Atshogs

“Prosodic Restrictions on the Distribution and Realization of Tonal Events: Evidence from Chaha” by Li Zhiqiang

“Interaction of Register, Prosody, and Syntax in ‘VR+NP’ Sentences” by Deng Dan

“A Review of The Syntactic Words in Chinese” by Wang Chi

“An Investigation into the Classification and Examples of Trisyllabic Verbs Followed by Objects in Contemporary Chinese” by Wang Weichao and Shi Chunhong

Feng Shengli, a Professor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Changjiang Scholar of Beijing Language and Culture University, was admitted to Beijing Normal University in 1977. At first, he studied Ancient History in History Department. Two years later, he pursued graduate studies in Chinese Department under the supervision of Lu Zongda, and became a teacher after graduation. Soon he studied Western Linguistics under the supervision of Professor Labov at University of Pennsylvania and got his PhD degree in Linguistics. He was a Tenured Professor of the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Kansas, a Professor of the Department of East Asian Language and Civilization and a Director of Chinese Department at Harvard University. He worked as a Director of Harvard Beijing Academy, and a Changjiang Scholar of Beijing Language and Culture University. Prof. Feng has also served as a Director of the International Association of Chinese Linguistics, Subeditor of “Journal of Chinese Linguistics”, and an appraisal officer of NSF program. He is now an Editorial Board Member of nearly ten journals on linguistics and language teaching, and a reviewer of linguistic periodical offices and publishing houses both in China and abroad.