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The argument-structure configuration of English middle and related structures

Abstract

This paper assesses the place of middle structures in relation to transitivity and intransitivity in English. Unlike some accounts that have questioned the grammatical status of middles as a self-standing category, this research justifies the recognition of middles as a structural category that constitutes an independent class of intransitive sentences. It does so through an analysis of the underlying thematic structure of middles themselves, as compared to structures which deviate from the middle prototype and other non-canonical structures. A discussion of these issues highlights the great fluidity shown by English verbs entering diathesis alternations, as well as the intransitivisation process exhibited by the English verbal paradigm. The paper concludes with some theoretical considerations regarding the notion of argument structure.

Abstract

This paper assesses the place of middle structures in relation to transitivity and intransitivity in English. Unlike some accounts that have questioned the grammatical status of middles as a self-standing category, this research justifies the recognition of middles as a structural category that constitutes an independent class of intransitive sentences. It does so through an analysis of the underlying thematic structure of middles themselves, as compared to structures which deviate from the middle prototype and other non-canonical structures. A discussion of these issues highlights the great fluidity shown by English verbs entering diathesis alternations, as well as the intransitivisation process exhibited by the English verbal paradigm. The paper concludes with some theoretical considerations regarding the notion of argument structure.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction vii
  4. Part 1. Atypical realization of the main arguments of the verb
  5. Verbs of pain and accusative subjects in Romanian 3
  6. Non-canonical ‘existential-like‘ constructions in colloquial Modern Hebrew 27
  7. IO realizations in Spanish reverse psych verb sentences 61
  8. Non-human agents as subjects in English and Dutch 87
  9. Part 2. Valency-changing devices and non-finite verb forms
  10. The argument-structure configuration of English middle and related structures 115
  11. Non-categorical categories 131
  12. Part 3. Variations in transitivity
  13. The semantic motivation of non-canonical predicative relations 163
  14. Atypical argument structures in French 181
  15. Split intransitivity in Lamaholot (East Flores, Indonesia) 203
  16. Part 4. Norm variation in predicate-arguments relations
  17. Geographic variation in a non-canonical infinitive structure with the modal verb brauchen 243
  18. Verbal constructions in spoken language deviating from the norm 265
  19. Index of authors 283
  20. Index of subjects 287
Atypical predicate-argument relations
This chapter is in the book Atypical predicate-argument relations
https://doi.org/10.1075/lis.33.05gar

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction vii
  4. Part 1. Atypical realization of the main arguments of the verb
  5. Verbs of pain and accusative subjects in Romanian 3
  6. Non-canonical ‘existential-like‘ constructions in colloquial Modern Hebrew 27
  7. IO realizations in Spanish reverse psych verb sentences 61
  8. Non-human agents as subjects in English and Dutch 87
  9. Part 2. Valency-changing devices and non-finite verb forms
  10. The argument-structure configuration of English middle and related structures 115
  11. Non-categorical categories 131
  12. Part 3. Variations in transitivity
  13. The semantic motivation of non-canonical predicative relations 163
  14. Atypical argument structures in French 181
  15. Split intransitivity in Lamaholot (East Flores, Indonesia) 203
  16. Part 4. Norm variation in predicate-arguments relations
  17. Geographic variation in a non-canonical infinitive structure with the modal verb brauchen 243
  18. Verbal constructions in spoken language deviating from the norm 265
  19. Index of authors 283
  20. Index of subjects 287
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