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The mental representation and processing of light verbs

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Abstract

This article gives an overview of our ongoing research on the processing and representation of light verb constructions. Light verb constructions consist of a light verb, which is semantically bleached, and an event nominal, which identifies the kind of event. Together the noun and the verb determine the structure of that event (the number of participants and their roles). Critically, in light verb constructions the canonical mapping from surface syntactic structure to event structure is disrupted. The present studies examine this phenomenon through the lens of language processing. We summarize several behavioral and neurolinguistic studies that show that the interpretation of light verb constructions relies on noncanonical mappings between syntax and semantics, while their syntactic structure is not different from non-light constructions.

Abstract

This article gives an overview of our ongoing research on the processing and representation of light verb constructions. Light verb constructions consist of a light verb, which is semantically bleached, and an event nominal, which identifies the kind of event. Together the noun and the verb determine the structure of that event (the number of participants and their roles). Critically, in light verb constructions the canonical mapping from surface syntactic structure to event structure is disrupted. The present studies examine this phenomenon through the lens of language processing. We summarize several behavioral and neurolinguistic studies that show that the interpretation of light verb constructions relies on noncanonical mappings between syntax and semantics, while their syntactic structure is not different from non-light constructions.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgments vii
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Part I. The general issue: Verb argument structure
  6. Can we dance without doing a dance? 23
  7. Determining argument structure in sign languages 45
  8. The mental representation and processing of light verbs 61
  9. Part II. Non-canonical argument structure realization
  10. Luigi piace a Laura? 83
  11. Causative nominalizations 119
  12. Part III. Neurobiological models
  13. Neurocognitive mechanisms of verb argument structure processing 141
  14. Argument structure 169
  15. Argument structure 185
  16. Language index 201
  17. Subject index 203
Structuring the Argument
This chapter is in the book Structuring the Argument
https://doi.org/10.1075/lfab.10.04wit

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgments vii
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Part I. The general issue: Verb argument structure
  6. Can we dance without doing a dance? 23
  7. Determining argument structure in sign languages 45
  8. The mental representation and processing of light verbs 61
  9. Part II. Non-canonical argument structure realization
  10. Luigi piace a Laura? 83
  11. Causative nominalizations 119
  12. Part III. Neurobiological models
  13. Neurocognitive mechanisms of verb argument structure processing 141
  14. Argument structure 169
  15. Argument structure 185
  16. Language index 201
  17. Subject index 203
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