Verbs that require objects be at least two characters

[rdferg]

Hi all, I've got a couple of questions about 进行.  I've done a search for this but can't really find an answer as Google thinks I'm talking about separable verbs which I'm not.

 

When 进行 takes an object the object must be at least two characters.

Does anyone know why this is so? Something to do with formality or even prosody？

Are there any other verbs that have the same requirement?

Thanks!

[mungouk]

It seems it could be a combination of prosody and register/formality.  If 进行 is considered a fairly formal verb then it would need to take a disyllabic object to maintain the 4-syllable formal pattern?

 

This is from "Chinese: A Comprehensive Grammar" by Yip Po-Ching and Don Rimmington (Routledge, 2004), p.101-102.  

 

(Click the image to enlarge it.)

 

 

The footnoted Chapter 26 is entirely about "Prosodic Features".

 

 

[Dlezcano]

This is a complex topic. 进行 is a so called 形式动词 (form verb?). Among these verbs you also can find 作、加以、予以、给予 or 给以. Their main common characteristics are 1. they mainly should have bisyllabic objects 2. they are mainly used in formal contexts (written Chinese) 3. In many instances you can ignore the meaning of these verbs without affecting the meaning of the sentence they are used in. 4. the objects of these verbs are mainly of verbal nature (改变、纪念、指导、保护、讽刺……）

 

If you are more interested in this topic, I got these informations from 《实用对外汉语教学语法》

[rdferg]

Thank you both for that.

I only asked because I had just recently noticed that one of the dictionary entries for 进行 in Pleco had a note about this requirement for double character objects.
Strangely none of the entries for the other verb examples listed above have a note about this.