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Event structure and lexical semantics in a scalar approach to actionality

  • Olga Bathiukova
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Verb Classes and Aspect
This chapter is in the book Verb Classes and Aspect

Abstract

This paper offers a scalar analysis of Russian verbal forms derived with the prefix pro-. The proposed approach is crucially based on two notions integrated into the Generative Lexicon framework: Dynamic Event Structure, a representation of the internal makeup of events in terms of subevents or phases which allows tracking the change of the arguments’ properties over time; and change function, which accounts for the different ways in which these properties may be affected (i.e., initiated, terminated, modified or left unchanged) in the course of the event. Special emphasis is placed on the role of scalar properties of the nominal arguments in the composition of change-of-state predicates.

Abstract

This paper offers a scalar analysis of Russian verbal forms derived with the prefix pro-. The proposed approach is crucially based on two notions integrated into the Generative Lexicon framework: Dynamic Event Structure, a representation of the internal makeup of events in terms of subevents or phases which allows tracking the change of the arguments’ properties over time; and change function, which accounts for the different ways in which these properties may be affected (i.e., initiated, terminated, modified or left unchanged) in the course of the event. Special emphasis is placed on the role of scalar properties of the nominal arguments in the composition of change-of-state predicates.

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