The canonical function of the deponent verbs in modern Greek
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Katerina Zombolou
Abstract
The present paper discusses deponent verbs in Modern Greek. Deponents are claimed to be idiosyncratic, non-canonical verbs representing a mismatch between morphology and syntax/semantics, as they are intransitive verbs exhibiting a morphological form, non-active, without there being an active transitive counterpart. Since non-active morphology is standardly associated with de-transitivization, deponents are taken to be exceptional in this respect. We compiled a deponent-verb corpus of Modern Greek and examined its morphological, syntactic and semantic structure. The results of this study revealed that most deponent predicates are actually reflexives/reciprocals, anticausatives and passives; thus, they instantiate verbal alternations which typically surface with non-active morphological marking. For this reason, we conclude that the morphology of deponent verbs in Modern Greek has, contrary to their traditional definition, a canonical function.
Abstract
The present paper discusses deponent verbs in Modern Greek. Deponents are claimed to be idiosyncratic, non-canonical verbs representing a mismatch between morphology and syntax/semantics, as they are intransitive verbs exhibiting a morphological form, non-active, without there being an active transitive counterpart. Since non-active morphology is standardly associated with de-transitivization, deponents are taken to be exceptional in this respect. We compiled a deponent-verb corpus of Modern Greek and examined its morphological, syntactic and semantic structure. The results of this study revealed that most deponent predicates are actually reflexives/reciprocals, anticausatives and passives; thus, they instantiate verbal alternations which typically surface with non-active morphological marking. For this reason, we conclude that the morphology of deponent verbs in Modern Greek has, contrary to their traditional definition, a canonical function.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
-
Editors’ introduction
- Morphology and meaning 3
-
Plenary papers
- Roots, concepts, and word structure 49
- Between word formation and meaning change 71
- Indirect coding 97
-
Section papers
- Diachrony and the polysemy of derivational affixes 127
- Possessive compounds in Slavic and the Principle of Integrated Meronymy 141
- Relation diversity and ease of processing for opaque and transparent English compounds 153
- Inflection vs. derivation 163
- Discrepancy between form and meaning in word-formation 177
- Compounds vs. phrases 191
- Semantic transparency, compounding, and the nature of independent variables 205
- The layering of form and meaning in creole word-formation 223
- Semantic headedness and categorization of - cum - compounds 239
- German plural doublets with and without meaning differentiation 249
- On the form and meaning of double noun incorporation 259
- Tuning morphosemantic transparency by shortening 275
- Root transparency and the morphology-meaning interface 289
- Mimetic verbs and meaning 303
- Mismatch verbs 315
- The canonical function of the deponent verbs in modern Greek 331
- Language index 345
- Subject index 347
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
-
Editors’ introduction
- Morphology and meaning 3
-
Plenary papers
- Roots, concepts, and word structure 49
- Between word formation and meaning change 71
- Indirect coding 97
-
Section papers
- Diachrony and the polysemy of derivational affixes 127
- Possessive compounds in Slavic and the Principle of Integrated Meronymy 141
- Relation diversity and ease of processing for opaque and transparent English compounds 153
- Inflection vs. derivation 163
- Discrepancy between form and meaning in word-formation 177
- Compounds vs. phrases 191
- Semantic transparency, compounding, and the nature of independent variables 205
- The layering of form and meaning in creole word-formation 223
- Semantic headedness and categorization of - cum - compounds 239
- German plural doublets with and without meaning differentiation 249
- On the form and meaning of double noun incorporation 259
- Tuning morphosemantic transparency by shortening 275
- Root transparency and the morphology-meaning interface 289
- Mimetic verbs and meaning 303
- Mismatch verbs 315
- The canonical function of the deponent verbs in modern Greek 331
- Language index 345
- Subject index 347
