本文旨在研究中文空賓語語句 (Null Object Construction)。我們認為有必要將空賓語先分為具指涉性(referential)及非指涉性(non-referential)，而指涉性空賓語可再細分為變項（variable）和空代詞（pro），非指涉性賓語則是空同源詞賓語（null cognate object）。
利用模組理論(Modular account)，我們能區分開句法，詞彙語義，及語用三大組件對於空賓語解釋(interpretation)的貢獻，針對此議題也提供了簡單明確的解決辦法。三類的空賓語分別是由這三個組件為主所決定而成的，這三類空賓語更可依據詞彙語義跟語用不同程度的貢獻而再細分。
當空賓語被話題(無論是顯性或隱性)約束且從話題得到其解釋時，我們不需要其他組件提供語義上的幫忙，這也反映在此類空賓語只容許單一解釋。當空賓語具有代詞性質時，這類空賓語的解釋又是如何得到的呢? 我們認為約束理論Ｂ和語用共同決定解釋。約束理論限制在賓語位置的代詞和同句的主語必須不同，所以任何詞項只要不是同句的主語皆能同標。再根據Levinson（2000）的I-principle，受話者在解釋空賓語時，會傾向於一個最明確的解釋。透過言語本身的或語言以外的語境，受話者會找出空代詞最有可能的同標關係。空同源詞賓語則由動詞決定主要解釋，因此也最不可能得到指涉性的解釋。非指涉性的解釋，也可藉由言語本身的或語言以外的語境，得到較明確的解釋。換句話說，受話者會用盡各種可能辦法，讓空賓語能有最多的解釋。

This thesis proposes a modular account to examine null object constructions in Mandarin Chinese. We argue that null objects in Chinese need to be divided into referential and nonreferential. Referential null objects can be further divided into two types: variables and pros, while nonreferential null objects are null cognate objects.
The modular account can distinguish the contributions of syntax, lexical semantics, and pragmatics to the interpretation of null objects; the issue then turns out to be simple and straightforward. The three syntactic types of null objects are mainly decided by on module and they may be further differentiated based on the varying contributions of verbal semantics and pragmatics.
When null object is recovered by a topic (either overt or covert), which A’-binds the null object, other modules of the grammar make little contribution; this is reflected on the rigidity of interpretation of the null object. How is the interpretive choice made of null pronominals? We need to consider both Binding Principle B and pragmatics. Binding Principle B only regulates the null object being free with the GC. Following the Levinson’s (2000) recipient’s corollary of the I-principle, recipients will opt for the maximally specific interpretation. This means that in the context of a linguistic antecedent or a contextually salient referent, the recipient will assign coreference between those entities and the null objects. The null cognate object, whose semantic content is derived mainly from the lexical semantics of the verb, gives rise to the least specific interpretation. More specific interpretations are possible with the help of linguistic or extralinguistic contexts. In other words, hearers use everything available to make their interpretation maximally rich.

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