Jenks (2018) argues that Mandarin bare NPs cannot be classified as definites simpliciter. Adopting the distinction between weak- and strong-article definites in Schwarz 2009, he proposes that Mandarin makes a lexical distinction between the two types of definites: bare nouns are weak definites, demonstratives are strong definites. He further proposes that their distribution is regulated by a principle called Index!. In this article, we first point out some problems with the empirical generalizations presented in Jenks’s description of Mandarin and then sketch an alternative approach to the distinction between Mandarin demonstratives and bare nouns. We end with some comments about the kind of further empirical work that needs to be done before definitive claims can be made about the competition between demonstratives and other types of definites.

Jenks (2018) 认为，普通话裸 NP 不能归类为明确的单纯词。采用 Schwarz 2009 中弱冠词和强冠词之间的区别，他建议普通话在两种类型的定词之间进行词汇区分：裸名词是弱定词，指示词是强定词。他进一步提出，它们的分布受称为Index!. 在这篇文章中，我们首先指出了 Jenks 对普通话的描述中出现的经验概括的一些问题，然后勾勒出一种区分普通话指示词和裸名词的替代方法。我们以一些关于在可以对指示词和其他类型的确定词之间的竞争做出明确声明之前需要完成的进一步实证工作的评论作为结尾。