scholarly journals Predicate union and the syntax of Japanese passives

1997 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
STANLEY DUBINSKY
Keyword(s):  
Argument Structure ◽  
Case Marking ◽  
Unaccusative Verbs

This paper presents a relational account of the Japanese constructions that are commonly referred to as ‘passives’. They are shown to all be multipredicate, monoclausal constructions, with the differences between them primarily attributable to optionality in the lexical argument structure of the ‘passive’ predicate. The proposed analysis explains the differences between passives and causatives, despite their sometimes identical case-marking. Further, evidence from the interaction of unaccusative verbs and passive is shown to lead to a formal revision of the 1-Advancement Exclusiveness law. Finally, the differences between Japanese and Korean with respect to passives is reduced to a simple lexical difference between the two languages.

Why is this happened? Passive morphology and unaccusativity

1997 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Balcom
Keyword(s):  
Argument Structure ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Past Participle ◽  
Production Task ◽  
Syntactic Rule ◽  
English Writing ◽  
The Past ◽  
Linguistic Representations ◽  
Unaccusative Verbs

Zobl discussed inappropriate passive morphology (‘be’ and the past participle) in the English writing of L2 learners, linking its occurrence to the class of unaccusative verbs and proposing that learners subsume unaccusatives under the syntactic rule for passive formation. The research reported here supports and amplifies Zobl' proposal, based on a grammaticality judgement task and a controlled production task containing verbs from a variety of subclasses of unaccusatives. The tasks were administered to Chinese L1 learners of English and a control group of English native speakers. Results show that subjects both used and judged as grammatical inappropriate passive morphology with all verbs falling under the rubric of unaccusativity. The article concludes with linguistic representations which maintain Zobl’s insights but are consistent with current theories of argument structure.

Mapping meaning to argument structure

2021 ◽  
pp. 36-60
Author(s):  
James N. Collins
Keyword(s):  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Argument Structure ◽  
Empirical Investigation ◽  
Formal Model ◽  
Lexical Semantics ◽  
Case Marking ◽  
Detailed Case ◽  
Nominal Arguments

This chapter investigates the phenomenon of morphological case in so-called ‘ergative-absolutive aligned’ languages, with a detailed case study of the Polynesian language Samoan. The focus is on the interaction of morphological case marking and the lexical semantics of verbs, proposing that the case marking pattern on a verb’s arguments are closely linked to the verb’s entailments, especially those relating to how the participants denoted by the verb’s nominal arguments participate in the event being described. Through empirical investigation of novel Samoan data, the chapter argues that ergative morphological case marking is linked to the agent argument’s status as a ‘self directed initiator’ of the event. In providing an analysis of this phenomenon, this chapter proposes a formal model of how a verb’s lexical semantics interacts with the morphological case component of grammar, employing insights from Optimality Theory.

scholarly journals Verbal Valency and Japhug / Tibetan Language Contact

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-140
Author(s):  
Guillaume Jacques
Keyword(s):  
Language Contact ◽  
Argument Structure ◽  
Fully Integrated ◽  
Case Marking ◽  
Comprehensive Survey

This paper presents the case of a language with rich indexation and limited case marking (Japhug) extensively borrowing verbs from a language without indexation but with case marking (an unattested Tibetic language close to the ancestor of Amdo Tibetan). It provides a comprehensive survey of the argument structure and transitivity categories of Japhug verbs of Tibetic origin in comparison with those of the corresponding verbs in Amdo Tibetan, the attested Tibetic language closest to the donor of loanwords into Japhug. This survey shows that verbs of Tibetic origin are fully integrated morphosyntactically into Japhug, and that with a few exceptions, the argument structure of the original verb is predictable from that of the Japhug verb.

scholarly journals Arguments or macroroles? : Two functional approaches to Old English quirky case

2002 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
Francisco Javier Martín Arista ◽  
Laura Caballero González
Keyword(s):  
Old English ◽  
Argument Structure ◽  
Internal Variables ◽  
Motion Verbs ◽  
Case Marking ◽  
Intransitive Verbs ◽  
The Relationship

After comparing two functional approaches to the question of Old English deviant accusatives, genitives and datives, this paper follows Martín Arista (2001a, b) with respect to Old English prototypical verbal constructions: the prototypical transitive construction is defined as the active accomplishment version of verbs like writan 'write', the activity implementation of creation and consumption verbs representing the less-prototypical transitive construction; the active accomplishment use of verbs such as faran 'go' characterize the prototypical intransitive construction, whereas the activity version of motion verbs define the less-prototypical intransitive construction. The conclusion is reached that quirky case is not a feature of the morphosyntax of certain intransitive verbs of state and causative state, but a characteristic of verbal constructions that, deviating from both the transitive and the intransitive prototypes, show not only case-marking irregularity but also more case-marking choices than verbs that abide by the transitive or intransitive prototype. Since marked morphosyntax -including quirky case- is considered in this paper a consequence of the non-prototypical character of argument structure, it is claimed that the relationship between canonical lexical templates and their configurations should be semantically and syntactically motivated. The Principle of Lexical Template Instantiation guarantees the suitable degree of implementation of a lexical template by stipulating that, prototypically, all the internal variables of the instantiations of lexical templates are fully specified

scholarly journals Korean and Spanish psych-verbs: Interaction of case, theta-roles, linearization, and event structure in HPSG

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Machicao y Priemer ◽  
Paola Fritz-Huechante
Keyword(s):  
Argument Structure ◽  
Semantic Relations ◽  
Role Assignment ◽  
Case Marking ◽  
Psych Verbs ◽  
Theta Role ◽  
Inheritance Hierarchy ◽  
Lexical Rules ◽  
Type Hierarchy

In this paper, we argue that by making a more detailed distinction of theta-roles, while at the same time investigating the correlation of case marking, theta-role assignment, and eventuality types, we can describe different psych-verb subclasses and explain their alignment patterns in Spanish and Korean. We propose a neo-Davidsonian treatment of psych-verbs in HPSG that allows us to account for the underspecification of theta-roles which are modeled in an inheritance hierarchy for semantic relations. By assuming linking properties modeled lexically, we can constrain the properties for psych-verbs which shows the mapping of semantic arguments (i.e. experiencer, stimulus-causer, subject matter and target) to the elements in the argument structure. The type hierarchy and lexical rules proposed here capture the alternation in case marking not only of the experiencer (as traditionally assumed in the literature), but also of the stimulus. This analysis leads us to a new fourfold classification of psych-verbs for both languages.

On Dependent Ergative Case (in Shipibo) and Its Derivation by Phase

2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark C. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Case Theory ◽  
Case Assignment ◽  
Dependent Case ◽  
Case Marking ◽  
Unaccusative Verbs ◽  
Domain I

Focusing on the Shipibo language, I defend a simple ‘‘dependent case’’ theory of ergative case marking, where ergative case is assigned to the higher of two NPs in a clausal domain. I show how apparent failures of this rule can be explained assuming that VP is a Spell-Out domain distinct from the clause, and that this bleeds ergative case assignment for c-command relationships that already exist in VP and are unchanged in CP. This accounts for the apparent underapplication of ergative case marking with ditransitives, reciprocals, and dyadic experiencer verbs, as opposed to the applicatives of unaccusative verbs, which do have ergative subjects. Finally, I show how case assignment interacts with restructuring to explain constructions in which ergative case appears to be optional.

Case marking in absolute constructions: further evidence for a semantically based alignment in Late Latin

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Rovai
Keyword(s):  
Argument Structure ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Semantic Role ◽  
Case Marking ◽  
Direct Objects ◽  
New Evidence ◽  
Minor Pattern

AbstractThe argument structure of the Latin clause normally patterns according to a nominative/accusative alignment, because – regardless of their semantic role – transitive and intransitive subjects are marked in the same way, as opposed to direct objects. A semantically based alignment is nevertheless attested in some domains of Latin grammar, overtly marking the semantic opposition between active/agentive and inactive/non-agentive arguments – regardless of their syntactic role. In Late Latin, this minor pattern results in the “extended accusative/restricted nominative,” a syntactico-semantic phenomenon that testifies to a re-alignment of the encoding of the argument structure in the transition from Latin to Romance. However, while there is direct evidence for the extension of the accusative, the parallel restriction of the nominative is not easy to prove, since a number of social and stylistic factors obscure the distribution of the different alignments in the late documents. New evidence for such a re-alignment may be probably drawn from some fluctuations of case marking in the

Causative errors with unaccusative verbs in L2 Spanish

1999 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvina Montrul
Keyword(s):  
Significant Role ◽  
Argument Structure ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Change Of State ◽  
Unaccusative Verbs ◽  
L1 Influence ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Intransitive Verbs ◽  
L1 Acquisition ◽  
L1 And L2

Unaccusative verbs do not form a homogeneous class with respect to the syntactic constructions in which they may appear. Change of state unaccusatives alternate in transitivity ( romper ‘break’), others have a suppletive causative counterpart for the transitive variant ( morir-matar ‘diekill’), while still others do not alternate and do not have lexically unrelated counterparts ( escapar ‘escape’). It has been documented that L1 and L2 learners of English use intransitive verbs in causative contexts ( Don't giggle me, Come it closer), due to the existence of the alternating class. Using a Picture Judgement Task,the present study investigates whether intermediate Turkish-speaking and English-speaking learners of Spanish know which unaccusative verbs alternate in transitivity and which ones do not, and whether they find causative errors natural with intransitive verbs. Results confirm similar findings to those reported in English interlanguage and L1 acquisition and suggest that at the level of argument structure, L1 and L2 acquisition are guided by the same linguistic principles; L1 influence plays a significant role with the reflexive morphology of intransitive forms. It is argued that transfer might not operate uniformly in all linguistic domains in interlanguage grammars (Schwartz and Sprouse, 1996).

scholarly journals Transfer at the level of argument structure or morphology: a comparative study of English and Persian unaccusative and unergative verbs

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farzaneh Dehghan ◽  
Reza Rezvani
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Study ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Argument Structure ◽  
Proficiency Test ◽  
Forced Choice ◽  
Morphological Markers ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Structure Level ◽  
Unaccusative Verbs ◽  
Verb Categories

Abstract Transitivity alternation refers to the causative/inchoative alternation of some unaccusative verbs. Different languages use different patterns to show transitivity alternation morphologically. While some languages like English use zero or no overt lexical marking, other languages (e.g. Spanish, Turkish, and Japanese) use overt morphological markers to show transitivity. This study aims to investigate the degree to which similarities and/or mismatches between English and Persian influence the use of unaccusative and unergative verbs by Persianspeaking learners of English. Based on different verb types in English and Persian, seven verb categories were identified as the basis for comparison. A forced-choice elicitation test including 48 items was developed based on these seven verb categories. A proficiency test was also used to divide participants (116 undergraduate students of English) into high and low proficiency groups. The results revealed findings more in line with transfer at the morphological rather than the argument structure level (Montrul, 2000). Alternating unaccusatives with similar equivalent structures for transitive/intransitive pairs in Persian and non-alternating unaccusatives with different structures for transitive/intransitive pairs in Persian seem to be the most difficult verb categories for learners. The effect of proficiency level was also significant on the recognition of correct structures.

The origin of non-canonical case marking of subjects in Proto-Indo-European

2019 ◽  
Vol 124 (1) ◽  
pp. 245-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roland Pooth ◽  
Peter Alexander Kerkhof ◽  
Leonid Kulikov ◽  
Jóhanna Barđdal
Keyword(s):  
Present Article ◽  
Argument Structure ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
Long Bone ◽  
Case Marking ◽  
Alignment System ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Semantic Alignment ◽  
The Subject

Abstract For a long time one of the most bewildering conundrums of Indo- European linguistics has been the issue of how to reconstruct the alignment system of this ancient language state, given the lack of distinction between s and o marking in the Proto-Indo-European neuter nouns and the problem of the Hittite ergative. An additional complication stems from the existence of argument structure constructions where the subject(-like) argument is marked in a different case than the nominative, like the accusative or the dative. Our aim with the present article is to fill two needs with one deed and offer a unified account of this century-long bone of contention. In contribution to the ongoing discussion in the field, we claim that a semantic alignment system, in the terms of Donohue & Wichmann (2008), might not only fit better with the morphological data that are currently reconstructed for the ancestral language, but also with the existence of non-canonically case-marked subjects in general (Barðdal, Bjarnadóttir, et al. 2013; Danesi, Johnson & Barðdal 2017).

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