Luohong  Si 

Abstract

Investigating Complementizer is a continuing concern within linguistics research. However, fewer scholars have been able to draw an any systematic research into the comparison of Chinese Complementizer and “that”. Whether there are Complementizer converted from demonstrative pronouns like ‘that’ in English has not been discovered yet. In spoken language in Xinmi dialect, “zhe” promotes the subsequent structure into a syntactically unself-contained clause, and guides it to serve as the subject and object in the sentence. In this case, “zhe” has already transformed as a typical clause tag but not a demonstrative pronoun. The complementizer “zhe” not only has a phonetic difference with the demonstrative pronouns, but it also shows rare specific semantics. “zhe” in the leading clause is also different from the demonstrative pronoun. It does not have a structural relation with other components in the sentence and can be omitted. And it cannot be questioned. It can be omitted, but it cannot be combined with quantifiers. “Zhe” has a fixable syntactic position. All those evidence presents that “zhe” has been grammatically transformed into a subordinate clause’s maker with guiding effects.