Download Classes of Lexical Verbs

Classes of Lexical Verbs
Verb complementation
Overview
Verbs select different kinds of syntactic objects
to form a complete VP, along 3 dimensions:
• Syntactic category (NP, S´, PP, AdvP, AP)
• Syntactic function (object(s), predicative complement, adjuncts)
• Semantic function (Agentive, Theme, Locative, Temporal, etc.)
General structure of VP
VP
Aux
V´
Functions
V
selects
XP
V selects the category of XP and determines its syntactic and
semantic functions
The ambiguity of ‘complement’
Complement
Object
Direct
(OD)
Indirect
(OI)
Prepositional
Complement
Prepositional
Object
(OP)
SubjectComplement
(CS)
(Predicative)
Complement
Object Adverbial
Comple- Complement
ment
(CO)
(CA)
Transitivity: selection of syntactic functions
Intransitives select no complements
Transitives select objects
• Monotransitives select one, direct, object (OD)
• Ditansitives select two objects, one indirect (OI) and one direct
• Complex transitives select one direct object and one adjunct (CA)
Intensives select predicative complements
• Simple intensives select a subject predicative complement (CS)
• Complex intensives select a direct object and an object predicative
complement (CO)
Intransitives
S
Subject
VP
NP
Aux
V´
V
John
may
break
call
*give
laugh
meander
*put
run
win
XP
Ø
Monotransitives
S
Subject
VP
NP
Aux
V´
OD
John
may
V
NP
break
call
give
laugh
*meander
*put
run
win
the news
a cab
a fiver
a silly laugh
the book
the horse
a prize
S
Test for objects:
passivization
Subject
VP
NP
Aux
PP
V´
OD
V
the news may
a cab
a fiver
?a silly laugh
the book
the horse
a prize
be -en break
call
give
laugh
*meander
*put
run
win
NP
t
(by John)
Ditransitives
S
Subject
VP
NP
Aux
V´
OD
NP
V´
OI
John
may
V
*break
call
give
*laugh
*meander
*run
win
NP
his parents the news
us
a cab
me
a fiver
them a silly laugh
us
himself
the horse
a prize
Complex transitives
S
Subject
VP
NP
Aux
V´
CA
AdvP/PP
V´
OD
John
may
V
NP
call
give
*laugh
*meander
put
run
*win
me
his sister
a silly laugh
over
up
?
the book on the shelf
the horse
down
a prize
?
Phrasal and prepositional verbs
Phrasal verbs: V + (Adverbial) Particle + NP (OD)
John gave his sister up = John gave up his sister
John gave her up < > *John gave up her
Prepositional verbs: V + PP
John looked at his sister < > *John looked his sister at
John looked at her < > *John looked her at
Simple intensives
S
Subject
VP
NP
Aux
V´
CS
John
may
V
NP/AP
be
become
cut
make
run
seem
turn
a nice chap / very nice
a cab driver / famous
a fine figure / *AP
a good husband / good
*NP/ naked
a nice guy / nice
*NP1) / green
1) Notice
turn traitor (idiomatic)
Complex intensives
S
Subject
VP
NP
Aux
V´
CO
NP/AP
V´
OD
John
may
V
call
eat
run
NP
his sister an idiot / stupid
his steak
*NP / raw
the horse *NP / tired
Selection of category
John prefers
Greek beer
NP
*John prefers
for a taxi
PP
*John prefers
moderately
AdvP
*John prefers
very pretty
AdjP
John prefers
that we take a taxi
S´
John prefers
to take a taxi
InfP
John prefers
for us to take a taxi
InfP
John prefers
going by taxi
GerP