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Chapter 7. Postverbal subjects of unaccusative verbs in the history of Portuguese

Abstract

In this paper, I trace a word order change from Old Portuguese (OP) to Modern European Portuguese (MEP) that affected subjects of unaccusative verbs and argue that these subjects lost their object-like position along two different paths: subjects that contain old information follow the same development as subjects of transitive verbs, while new information subjects develop independently. In OP they retained more of their object-like properties, while MEP subjects of unaccusatives pattern more closely with subjects of transitive verbs.

Abstract

In this paper, I trace a word order change from Old Portuguese (OP) to Modern European Portuguese (MEP) that affected subjects of unaccusative verbs and argue that these subjects lost their object-like position along two different paths: subjects that contain old information follow the same development as subjects of transitive verbs, while new information subjects develop independently. In OP they retained more of their object-like properties, while MEP subjects of unaccusatives pattern more closely with subjects of transitive verbs.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Some introductory reflections 1
  4. Chapter 2. Velar allomorphy in Ibero-Romance 13
  5. Chapter 3. The history of concatenative compounds in Spanish 47
  6. Chapter 4. Intersubjectification and textual emphasis in the use of definite article + proper name in Spanish 75
  7. Chapter 5. Stylistic fronting in Old Spanish texts 99
  8. Chapter 6. The dative experiencer of Spanish gustar 123
  9. Chapter 7. Postverbal subjects of unaccusative verbs in the history of Portuguese 149
  10. Chapter 8. On the position of overt subjects in infinitival clauses in Spanish and Portuguese 173
  11. Chapter 9. Allative to purposive grammaticalisation 195
  12. Chapter 10. Recurrent processes in the evolution of concessive subordinators in Spanish and Catalan 223
  13. Chapter 11. Si as a Q-particle in Old Spanish 249
  14. Chapter 12. Realmente , verdaderamente and ciertamente 275
  15. Chapter 13. Variation and the use of discourse markers in 16th-century Spanish 303
  16. Chapter 14. Studying Ibero-Romance before 1200 325
  17. Index 337
Studies in Historical Ibero-Romance Morpho-Syntax
This chapter is in the book Studies in Historical Ibero-Romance Morpho-Syntax
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.16.07eid

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Some introductory reflections 1
  4. Chapter 2. Velar allomorphy in Ibero-Romance 13
  5. Chapter 3. The history of concatenative compounds in Spanish 47
  6. Chapter 4. Intersubjectification and textual emphasis in the use of definite article + proper name in Spanish 75
  7. Chapter 5. Stylistic fronting in Old Spanish texts 99
  8. Chapter 6. The dative experiencer of Spanish gustar 123
  9. Chapter 7. Postverbal subjects of unaccusative verbs in the history of Portuguese 149
  10. Chapter 8. On the position of overt subjects in infinitival clauses in Spanish and Portuguese 173
  11. Chapter 9. Allative to purposive grammaticalisation 195
  12. Chapter 10. Recurrent processes in the evolution of concessive subordinators in Spanish and Catalan 223
  13. Chapter 11. Si as a Q-particle in Old Spanish 249
  14. Chapter 12. Realmente , verdaderamente and ciertamente 275
  15. Chapter 13. Variation and the use of discourse markers in 16th-century Spanish 303
  16. Chapter 14. Studying Ibero-Romance before 1200 325
  17. Index 337
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