<p>sure you could think this way, but then it would imply that for phrase like "你人真好". with 你 being topic 人真好 being comment.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-03T04:15:21.677Z
I do think the topic in 你人真好 is 你; but the topic in 你家孩子真多 is 你家孩子
user58955
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-03T00:48:35.643Z
2015-10-03T00:48:35.643Z
Gugg
<p>It’s a topic-comment structure, but exactly what the topic is is open to interpretation.</p>

<p>It might be “你家”.  In that case a rough English version would be:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Your home – how many children there are here!</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Or it could be “你家孩子” meaning:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The children in your home – there are so many of them!</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Which one to choose depends on context.  If you heard this spoken, there might be intonational clues, e.g. a pause after the topic.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-04T01:12:44.900Z
Is a comma unnecessary then with topic-comment sentences? That is, it doesn't nee to be: 你家孩子, 真多！
amorimluc
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-04T01:18:26.920Z
I don't think you can add a comma there.
neubau
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-04T08:49:18.103Z
２nd suggestion has 你家孩子 as subject and 真多 as predicate, so it would simply be an S-P phrase, OP's identical with 1st suggestion of answer fits definition of topic-comment structure or 主谓谓语句. It may also be worth noting that iciba's ２ examples in 句库 for 你家孩子 translate both as "your child", this and examples with 的 might suggest that 你家的孩子 might be the more likely equivalent for "your children＂ （孩子们 ruled out b／c of 多？）
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-04T01:03:58.143Z
2015-10-04T01:03:58.143Z
neubau
<p>I think the following sentence has the topic-comment structure, but I'm not entirely sure if there is another grammar principle underlying it that I'm not seeing. The sentence is:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>你家孩子真多！</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I think the topic is 你家, with the rest being the comment. Is this right?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-03T07:12:15.290Z
which grammars talk about topic－comment structure？ some（e。g。＂外国人实用汉语语法＂）talk about ＂sentences with an S-P Phrase as the Predicate" (主谓谓语句）主谓谓词句基本格式是：（一）主语－－谓语［主谓词组：＂主＂－－＂谓＂］他－身体 好。兔子－尾巴 短。这个士兵－胸部 受伤了。（二）主语－－谓语［主谓词组：＂主＂－－＂谓＂（及物动词）－－＂宾＂（数量词组）］《汉语词典》－我 有 一本。这种上衣－－小王 做了 一件。more complete discussion in "实用现代汉语语法＂第四编 句法（中） 单句 第三节 主谓谓语句 由主谓短语作谓语的句子叫做主谓谓语句，这是汉语特有的一种句子。为了区别全句的主语、谓语和谓语中的主语、谓语，我们把前者称为大主语、大谓语，后者称为小主语、小谓语。大主语和小主语之间存在一定的关系。主谓谓语句的谓语主要是说明或者描写主语的，即主谓谓语句是一种说明或描写的句子。一、主谓谓语句中大小主语的意义关系 主谓谓语句的小主语或表示大主语所表示的事物的一部分，或表示大主语所表示的事物的属性。
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-03T07:12:54.283Z
例如：１。他头疼，嗓子还有点儿红。２金沙江水急浪大。３这一带土地肥沃，山水秀丽。４新来的副经理年龄不大，办事能力很强。５那个房间里的一伙人，说的说，笑的笑，可热闹了。６这种汽车性能好，样子美观，价格适宜。７小王体重七十一公斤，身高一米七二。８他学习努力，工作积极。９北京的农业发展也很迅速。例１～３小主语表示的事物是大主语所表示的事物的一个组成部分；例４～７小主语表示大主语所表示的事物的某一方面特性，如年龄、性格、态度、心理状态、长（高）度、重量、体积、式样、颜色、性能、用途等等。例８，９的小主语也是从某一侧面说明大主语所表示的事物的，所不同的是小主语都是动词或动词短语充任的。再如：１新出版的《学汉字》一套三本。２这本书一页几百字？这本书一页七百多字。上述句子小主语和小谓语是数量词，小主语所表示的事物也是大主语所表示的事物的一部分。例１大主语是＂新出版的《学汉字》＂，＂一套＂是小主语，是大主语《学汉字》的一部分。例２大主语是＂这本书＂，小主语是＂一页＂，二者显然是整体和部分的关系。３A：这种型号的计算机一台多少钱？B：一台八千五百块钱。这个句子也可以说成：A：这种型号的计算机多少钱一台？：B：八千五百块钱一台。小主语与大主语所表示的事物存在部分与整体的关系。
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-03T21:47:25.223Z
cf。Chinese A Comprehensive Grammar 19 Telescopic Constructions http://documents.routledge-interactive.s3.amazonaws.com/chinese-studies/9780415150323/Table_of_Contents.pdf
(uses the term topic-comment sentence [主谓；话题说明句] and ＂伸缩式结构＂ are there Chinese grammars of Chinese using these terms?)
user6065
<grammar>
Does 你家孩子真多 follow the topic-comment pattern?
# Does 你家孩子真多 follow the topic-comment pattern?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-10-03)

I think the following sentence has the topic-comment structure, but I'm not entirely sure if there is another grammar principle underlying it that I'm not seeing. The sentence is:

> 你家孩子真多！

I think the topic is 你家, with the rest being the comment. Is this right?

**Tags:** grammar

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: which grammars talk about topic－comment structure？ some（e。g。＂外国人实用汉语语法＂）talk about ＂sentences with an S-P Phrase as the Predicate" (主谓谓语句）主谓谓词句基本格式是：（一）主语－－谓语［主谓词组：＂主＂－－＂谓＂］他－身体 好。兔子－尾巴 短。这个士兵－胸部 受伤了。（二）主语－－谓语［主谓词组：＂主＂－－＂谓＂（及物动词）－－＂宾＂（数量词组）］《汉语词典》－我 有 一本。这种上衣－－小王 做了 一件。more complete discussion in "实用现代汉语语法＂第四编 句法（中） 单句 第三节 主谓谓语句 由主谓短语作谓语的句子叫做主谓谓语句，这是汉语特有的一种句子。为了区别全句的主语、谓语和谓语中的主语、谓语，我们把前者称为大主语、大谓语，后者称为小主语、小谓语。大主语和小主语之间存在一定的关系。主谓谓语句的谓语主要是说明或者描写主语的，即主谓谓语句是一种说明或描写的句子。一、主谓谓语句中大小主语的意义关系 主谓谓语句的小主语或表示大主语所表示的事物的一部分，或表示大主语所表示的事物的属性。  
> **username_1**: 例如：１。他头疼，嗓子还有点儿红。２金沙江水急浪大。３这一带土地肥沃，山水秀丽。４新来的副经理年龄不大，办事能力很强。５那个房间里的一伙人，说的说，笑的笑，可热闹了。６这种汽车性能好，样子美观，价格适宜。７小王体重七十一公斤，身高一米七二。８他学习努力，工作积极。９北京的农业发展也很迅速。例１～３小主语表示的事物是大主语所表示的事物的一个组成部分；例４～７小主语表示大主语所表示的事物的某一方面特性，如年龄、性格、态度、心理状态、长（高）度、重量、体积、式样、颜色、性能、用途等等。例８，９的小主语也是从某一侧面说明大主语所表示的事物的，所不同的是小主语都是动词或动词短语充任的。再如：１新出版的《学汉字》一套三本。２这本书一页几百字？这本书一页七百多字。上述句子小主语和小谓语是数量词，小主语所表示的事物也是大主语所表示的事物的一部分。例１大主语是＂新出版的《学汉字》＂，＂一套＂是小主语，是大主语《学汉字》的一部分。例２大主语是＂这本书＂，小主语是＂一页＂，二者显然是整体和部分的关系。３A：这种型号的计算机一台多少钱？B：一台八千五百块钱。这个句子也可以说成：A：这种型号的计算机多少钱一台？：B：八千五百块钱一台。小主语与大主语所表示的事物存在部分与整体的关系。  
> **username_1**: cf。Chinese A Comprehensive Grammar 19 Telescopic Constructions http://documents.routledge-interactive.s3.amazonaws.com/chinese-studies/9780415150323/Table_of_Contents.pdf (uses the term topic-comment sentence [主谓；话题说明句] and ＂伸缩式结构＂ are there Chinese grammars of Chinese using these terms?)  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-10-04. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

It’s a topic-comment structure, but exactly what the topic is is open to interpretation.

It might be “你家”. In that case a rough English version would be:

> Your home – how many children there are here!

Or it could be “你家孩子” meaning:

> The children in your home – there are so many of them!

Which one to choose depends on context. If you heard this spoken, there might be intonational clues, e.g. a pause after the topic.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Is a comma unnecessary then with topic-comment sentences? That is, it doesn't nee to be: 你家孩子, 真多！  
> **username_4**: I don't think you can add a comma there.  
> **username_1**: ２nd suggestion has 你家孩子 as subject and 真多 as predicate, so it would simply be an S-P phrase, OP's identical with 1st suggestion of answer fits definition of topic-comment structure or 主谓谓语句. It may also be worth noting that iciba's ２ examples in 句库 for 你家孩子 translate both as "your child", this and examples with 的 might suggest that 你家的孩子 might be the more likely equivalent for "your children＂ （孩子们 ruled out b／c of 多？）  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-10-03. Score: 0

sure you could think this way, but then it would imply that for phrase like "你人真好". with 你 being topic 人真好 being comment.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I do think the topic in 你人真好 is 你; but the topic in 你家孩子真多 is 你家孩子  

---

