Small clauses in English and Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian / Male klauze u engleskom i bosanskom, hrvatskom i srpskom jeziku

Književni jezik ◽

10.33669/kj2019-30-06 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 181-208

Author(s):

Izela Habul-Šabanović

Keyword(s):

English Literature ◽

Generative Grammar ◽

Small Clause ◽

Contrastive Analysis ◽

Sentence Level ◽

The Subject ◽

Basic Concepts ◽

Small Clauses ◽

Secondary Predication ◽

Finite Verb

Small Clauses in English represent one of the basic concepts of modern generative grammar and they are characterized as minimal units of non-verbal predication, where the predication relation between the subject and the predicate is established in the absence of a finite verb form. In traditional grammars, they are generally referred to as “secondary predication” constructions. As the concept of a “small clause” is not familiar in the context of traditional descriptive grammars of Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian, the aim of this paper is to make a preliminary contrastive analysis of how these or similar constructions are realized in Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian through translation equivalents and how they are treated in traditional grammars. Additionally, we have applied several tests typically used in English literature to prove the constituency of small clauses in order to establish whether or not these constructions could form a separate constituent at the sentence level in Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian as well.

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Verbless predicative structures across Romance

Journal of Linguistics ◽

10.1017/s0022226715000201 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 52 (3) ◽

pp. 609-637

Author(s):

NICOLA MUNARO

Keyword(s):

Small Clause ◽

Individual Level ◽

Functional Head ◽

Phase Extension ◽

The Subject ◽

Small Clauses ◽

Apparent Similarity

This article develops an analysis of a verbless predicative structure attested throughout Romance: in this type of reduced clause the predicate linearly precedes the subject and is separated from it by a clear intonational break, while the missing verb is interpreted as a silent copula. I argue that this structure should be viewed as the result of three movement steps: the first step is to be identified with predicate inversion, that is, extraction of the predicate from the complement position of the predicative small clause to a higher specifier position thanks to phase extension, followed by raising of the predicate to the specifier of SubjP to check the EPP feature, and finally to the specifier of the left-peripheral projection FocusP in order to check a focus feature. The present analysis is based on the crucial, and independently motivated assumption, that the process of phase extension, produced by raising of the small clause internal relator R° to a higher functional head F°, is limited to small clauses associated with individual-level predicates. The verbless predicative structure is then compared to an analogous construction in which the preposed predicate is preceded by awh-item, arguing that, despite their apparent similarity, the two structures should be clearly distinguished.

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Verb phrase secondary predication: Biblical Hebrew as a case study

Linguistics ◽

10.1515/ling-2020-0044 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 58 (2) ◽

pp. 363-378

Author(s):

Galia Hatav

Keyword(s):

Biblical Hebrew ◽

Verb Phrase ◽

Verb Phrases ◽

The Subject ◽

Infinitive Absolute ◽

Secondary Predicates ◽

Secondary Predication ◽

Finite Verb

AbstractIn this article, I discuss secondary predication in Biblical Hebrew, showing that contrary to what linguists such as Rothstein (2004. Structuring events. Malden, MA & Oxford: Blackwell) suggest, there are languages with verb phrases as secondary predicates.In particular, I deal with a construction in Biblical Hebrew I refer to as the double infinitive-absolute construction, where in addition to a finite verb, the sentence contains two conjoined occurrences of an infinitive absolute, where the first is of the same root and binyan (pattern) as the finite verb but deprived of temporal and agreement features, while the second is of a different root and (maybe) binyan. I show that Biblical Hebrew uses this construction to form a new complex verb with the primary predicate, such that it shares the subject or the object with the primary predicate, depicting a situation that overlaps in time with the situation depicted by the primary predicate or results from it.

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Secondary predication and default case

ZAS Papers in Linguistics ◽

10.21248/zaspil.26.2001.140 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 26 ◽

pp. 113-125

Author(s):

Youngjun Jang ◽

Siyoun Kim

Keyword(s):

Small Clause ◽

Nominative Case ◽

Accusative Case ◽

Default Case ◽

The Subject ◽

Secondary Predication

This paper compares secondary predication constructions (including small clause complements, resultatives, and/or depictives) in English and Korean and argues that these two typologically different languages employ different modes of satisfying the Case Filter (Chomsky 1981) with regard to the Case of the subjects of secondary predication constructions. More specifically, we argue that the subject of the secondary predicate in English is Accusative Case-marked by the higher governing verb, while that in Korean is Nominative Case-marked by default. Evidence for default Nominative Case will be provided from Korean and other languages.

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Resultatives, goal PPs, and postverbal subjects: From Scotland to Belfast

Journal of Linguistics ◽

10.1017/s0022226720000407 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-45

Author(s):

ANDREW WEIR

Keyword(s):

Standard English ◽

Small Clause ◽

Resultative Constructions ◽

Functional Head ◽

Light Verb ◽

Unaccusative Verbs ◽

Cast Doubt ◽

The Subject ◽

Small Clauses

This paper investigates postverbal imperative subjects (e.g., get you to school), ungrammatical in standard English but grammatical in certain contexts in dialects of Scottish and Belfast English. Henry (1995) reports that unaccusative verbs generally allow postverbal subjects in Belfast English, but in the Scottish English (ScotE) dialect considered here, only a very restricted subset of verbs allow it. Moreover, in ScotE, the preposition away can appear without an overt verb (I’ll away to my bed); this also allows a postverbal subject in imperatives (away you to school). The ScotE data cast doubt on Henry’s (1995) proposal that the licensor of postverbal subjects is weak agreement. The paper argues that the subjects in these constructions are actually external arguments of small clauses (of which goal PPs are taken to be a subset following, e.g., Beck & Snyder 2001). The differences between dialects are located in the structure of resultatives; Belfast English allows Case to be assigned to the subject of small clauses in resultative constructions via a functional head endowed with a causation feature, allowing them to remain in situ in imperatives. In standard English, the causation feature is directly merged onto the verb, not allowing for Case assignment and forcing raising of the subject of the small clause. The ScotE data is argued to arise from the availability of a very ‘light’ verb which is realized as get in some contexts and as silence in others.

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Ereigniskontrollierte Adjunkte im Deutschen

Zeitschrift für Germanistische Linguistik ◽

10.1515/zgl-2019-0023 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 47 (3) ◽

pp. 507-534

Author(s):

Inghild Flaate Høyem

Keyword(s):

Past Participle ◽

Small Clause ◽

Matrix Clause ◽

Object Control ◽

The Matrix ◽

The Subject ◽

Small Clauses ◽

German Data ◽

Semantic Properties ◽

Insight Into

Abstract The present paper investigates small clause adjuncts displaying the phenomenon referred to as ‘event control’ in literature. Many languages, including German, employ non-finite clauses (besides finite clauses) as propositional adjuncts, for instance infinitival, participial and small clause adjuncts. The subject of these adjunct clauses is left unexpressed and must generally be interpreted co-referentially with the subject or object of the matrix clause (subject or object control), but the matrix event itself can also be interpreted as the controller. Adjuncts involving event control have, to my knowledge, never been examined jointly or particularly thoroughly. The aim of this paper is therefore to provide insight into German data involving event control in different kinds of non-finite propositional adjunct clauses, by examining common and diverging syntactic and semantic properties. The data comprises nominative DPs (Germ. Satzappositionen), adverbial infinitives headed by um (Engl. in order to), adverbial present and past participle constructions, and adverbial small clauses headed by the particle als. Furthermore, I discuss briefly how these data could be captured theoretically, by analyzing them as adjuncts in different syntactic-semantic domains and as obligatorily controlled (OC) adjuncts according to the OC-properties described by Landau (2013).

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Encasing the Absolutes

ELOPE English Language Overseas Perspectives and Enquiries ◽

10.4312/elope.11.2.21-35 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 21-35

Author(s):

Uroš Martinčič

Keyword(s):

Minimalist Program ◽

Small Clause ◽

Nominative Case ◽

The Subject ◽

Small Clauses

The paper explores the issue of structure and case in English absolute constructions, whose subjects are deduced by several descriptive grammars as being in the nominative case due to its supposed neutrality in terms of register. This deduction is countered by systematic accounts presented within the framework of the Minimalist Program which relate the case of absolute constructions to specific grammatical factors. Each proposal is shown as an attempt of analysing absolute constructions as basic predication structures, either full clauses or small clauses. I argue in favour of the small clause approach due to its minimal reliance on transformations and unique stipulations. Furthermore, I propose that small clauses project a singular category, and show that the use of two cases in English absolute constructions can be accounted for if they are analysed as depictive phrases, possibly selected by prepositions. The case of the subject in absolutes is shown to be a result of syntactic and non-syntactic factors. I thus argue in accordance with Minimalist goals that syntactic case does not exist, attributing its role in absolutes to other mechanisms.

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On predication, derivation and anti-locality

ZAS Papers in Linguistics ◽

10.21248/zaspil.26.2001.139 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 26 ◽

pp. 87-111

Author(s):

Kleanthes K. Grohmann

Keyword(s):

Internal Structure ◽

Small Clause ◽

Clause Structure ◽

Small Clauses ◽

Secondary Predication ◽

Locality Hypothesis

This paper pursues the question what the implications of the Anti-Locality Hypothesis could be for the syntax of secondary predication. Focus of the discussion will be an investigation of what their internal structure of small clause complements must look like, how these small clause complements connect to their matrix environments, and what the relevance could be for the formulation of anti-locality presented here. Anti-locality is defined over a tripartite clause structure (split into three Prolific Domains) and a PF-condition on the computation (the Condition on Domain-Exclusivity). The investigation revolves around two leading questions: (i) does the syntax of small clauses involve more structure than simply [SC DP XP] and (ii) do small clauses constitute their own Prolific Domain (or maybe even more)? The results, affirmative answers to both questions, are also relevant for other types of secondary predication.

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Rethinking Inversion in English Syntax

English Studies at NBU ◽

10.33919/esnbu.18.1.3 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 29-40

Author(s):

Ellie Boyadzhieva

Keyword(s):

General Rule ◽

Generative Grammar ◽

Syntactic Structures ◽

Verbal Predicate ◽

The Subject ◽

Basic Concepts ◽

Explanatory Adequacy ◽

English Syntax

The article deals with some internal theoretical controversies in the concept and the use of the term inversion in English syntax as used in some descriptive and most pedagogical grammars of Modern English. The analysis focuses mainly on the formation of interrogative and emphatic negative structures in English by applying some basic concepts of generative grammar. The aim of the analysis is to explain the transposition of the subject and the verbal predicate by following the Occam Razor' s principle of scientific description requiring the employment of a minimal number of principles and technicalities in the course of analysis which results in higher explanatory adequacy. This aim is achieved through the application of the terms operator and operator fronting in the cases of both obligatory and reversive inversion. The obligatory visualization of the operator in a series of syntactic structures is also discussed and a general rule is formulated.

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ON THE ISSUE OF RENDERING STYLISTIC COLORING OF COCKNEY DIALECT IN TRANSLATION

Naukovy Visnyk of South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K D Ushynsky Linguistic Sciences ◽

10.24195/2616-5317-2019-29-16 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 (29) ◽

pp. 216-230

Author(s):

Nataliia Oskina ◽

Raisa Martynova

Keyword(s):

Conversation Analysis ◽

English Literature ◽

Translation Studies ◽

Educational Activity ◽

Contrastive Analysis ◽

The Subject ◽

Belles Lettres ◽

Stylistic Function ◽

The 19Th Century ◽

The Given

The presented article is aimed at elaborating the problem of specific stylistic coloring achieved by the employment of the Cockney dialect in English literature in the 19th century. The main objective of the paper consists in investigating the stylistic value of the Cockney rhymed dialect as the powerful expressive means in the English literature of realism as well as the possible ways of its rendering in artistic translation. The results of the carried-out research have proved that there exist common strategies and techniques of both employing Cockney in English literature of the given period and reproducing it in literary interpretations. The practical value of the research lies in the fact that the conclusions may be applied in the educational activity, namely in the course of English stylistics. The urgency of this paper arises from the need for all-sided review of difficulties of translating belles-lettres works in contemporary translation studies. The object of the work is a Cockney dialect viewed in the aspect of its translatability. The subject is the specific stylistic function of Cockney dialect in B. Shaw's play. The immediate tasks of the article have been predetermined by the above-mentioned objective and include respectively: the disclosure of the specifics of Cockney dialect; the outline of the strategies and tactics of translating Cockney in belles-lettres works. The methodology of this research involved the inductive and deductive methods, the method of contrastive analysis and ethnic methodological conversation analysis. In the course of the research it has been concluded and experimentally and statistically proved that there exist common strategies and tactics of translating Cockney. It has also been postulated that the pragmatic and the expressive potential of Cockney is rendered in translation. The perspective is seen in reviewing the peculiarities of rendering Cockney in literary interpretations in various Western and Oriental languages.

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What information structure tells us about individual/stage-level predicates

Borealis – An International Journal of Hispanic Linguistics ◽

10.7557/1.1.1.2293 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Angel Jiménez-Fernández

Keyword(s):

Information Structure ◽

Syntactic Structure ◽

Small Clause ◽

Individual Stage ◽

Individual Level ◽

The Subject ◽

Small Clauses ◽

The Individual

The goal of this paper is to explore the lexical-syntactic structure of copulative constructions and argument small clauses within the framework proposed by Gallego & Uriagereka (2011) for the Individual-Level/Stage-Level distinction (Carlson 1988, Kratzer 1995) and implement their theory by claiming that there is a crucial correlation between IL/SL constructions and their information structure. I argue that IL subjects are topics (and hence this is a categorical construction, following Kuroda 1972, Milsark 1977 and Raposo & Uriagereka 1995), whereas in SL constructions the topic may either be the subject or a silent spatiotemporal argument (their construction being thetic). I show the topic nature of IL subjects in contexts of specificity and subextraction. I ultimately derive the IS of IL/SL constructions from their lexical-syntactic structure and identify the type of topic here as an Aboutness-Topic (in the sense of Frascarelli & Hinterhölzl 2007, Lambrecht 1994, Erteschik-Shir 1997). Keywords: individual-level/stage-level predicates, copulas, small clause, central-coincidence/terminal coincidence prepositions, topic, specificity, subextraction

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