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Controller-controllee relations in purposive constructions

A construction-based account

Abstract

This paper examines purpose and rationale clauses, two subtypes of purposive constructions. The study of these constructions has been mainly developed for English within formal syntax. A purpose clause is a VP-internal adjunct containing a gap bound to the matrix object(i.e. controllee), while a rationale clause is a VP-external adjunct lacking a gap bounded to the matrix object. A similar approach to controller-pivot relationships for purpose has been adopted in previous studies in Role and Reference Grammar. Based on cross-linguistic data, I argue that the lexical manifestation of the controlled element is a language-specific feature, i.e. it can be covert or overt. In some languages, the two lexical manifestations are possible, i.e. a construction-specific property.

Abstract

This paper examines purpose and rationale clauses, two subtypes of purposive constructions. The study of these constructions has been mainly developed for English within formal syntax. A purpose clause is a VP-internal adjunct containing a gap bound to the matrix object(i.e. controllee), while a rationale clause is a VP-external adjunct lacking a gap bounded to the matrix object. A similar approach to controller-pivot relationships for purpose has been adopted in previous studies in Role and Reference Grammar. Based on cross-linguistic data, I argue that the lexical manifestation of the controlled element is a language-specific feature, i.e. it can be covert or overt. In some languages, the two lexical manifestations are possible, i.e. a construction-specific property.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction vii
  4. Controller-controllee relations in purposive constructions 1
  5. Transitivity, constructions, and the projection of argument structure in RRG 23
  6. Constructions in RRG 41
  7. A constructional perspective on clefting in Persian 67
  8. Radical Role and Reference Grammar (RRRG) 103
  9. Constructions as grammatical objects 143
  10. Constructions in Role and Reference Grammar 179
  11. Towards a model of constructional meaning for natural language understanding 205
  12. Meaning construction, meaning interpretation and formal expression in the Lexical Constructional Model 231
  13. Constructions in the Lexical Constructional Model 271
  14. From idioms to sentence structures and beyond 295
  15. Index 331
Linking Constructions into Functional Linguistics
This chapter is in the book Linking Constructions into Functional Linguistics
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.145.01gue

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction vii
  4. Controller-controllee relations in purposive constructions 1
  5. Transitivity, constructions, and the projection of argument structure in RRG 23
  6. Constructions in RRG 41
  7. A constructional perspective on clefting in Persian 67
  8. Radical Role and Reference Grammar (RRRG) 103
  9. Constructions as grammatical objects 143
  10. Constructions in Role and Reference Grammar 179
  11. Towards a model of constructional meaning for natural language understanding 205
  12. Meaning construction, meaning interpretation and formal expression in the Lexical Constructional Model 231
  13. Constructions in the Lexical Constructional Model 271
  14. From idioms to sentence structures and beyond 295
  15. Index 331
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