12. Deverbal nominalization
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Jane Grimshaw
Abstract
Deverbal nominals have a wide range of meanings. They can be synonymous with underived nouns. They can denote an argument of the predicate they are based on, or have a result interpretation. They can denote facts and events. Unlike embedded clauses, deverbal nominals do not denote propositions. They participate in the structural relations that other nouns allow: they take prepositional complements and are modified by adjectives and possessives. In their complex event and fact meanings, however, they differ from other nouns in their argument-taking abilities, which resemble those of verbs. English deverbal nominals are formed with a number of different suffixes, and properties of the nominals can vary as a function of the suffix. The aspectual characteristics of each verb also affect whether a deverbal counterpart exists, and what its properties can be. While research on the topic has explicated many of the observed regularities, there remain numerous gaps in the system, nominals which are predicted to exist but do not, or which do not have the expected properties. Current research seeks to discover the principles governing the interaction of lexical meaning, aspect and morphology, which will explain the attested patterns.
Abstract
Deverbal nominals have a wide range of meanings. They can be synonymous with underived nouns. They can denote an argument of the predicate they are based on, or have a result interpretation. They can denote facts and events. Unlike embedded clauses, deverbal nominals do not denote propositions. They participate in the structural relations that other nouns allow: they take prepositional complements and are modified by adjectives and possessives. In their complex event and fact meanings, however, they differ from other nouns in their argument-taking abilities, which resemble those of verbs. English deverbal nominals are formed with a number of different suffixes, and properties of the nominals can vary as a function of the suffix. The aspectual characteristics of each verb also affect whether a deverbal counterpart exists, and what its properties can be. While research on the topic has explicated many of the observed regularities, there remain numerous gaps in the system, nominals which are predicted to exist but do not, or which do not have the expected properties. Current research seeks to discover the principles governing the interaction of lexical meaning, aspect and morphology, which will explain the attested patterns.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- 1. Pronouns 1
- 2. Definiteness and indefiniteness 33
- 3. Specificity 70
- 4. Quantifiers 112
- 5. Bare noun phrases 149
- 6. Possessives and relational nouns 177
- 7. Mass nouns and plurals 204
- 8. Genericity 232
- 9. Aspectual class and Aktionsart 274
- 10. Perfect and progressive 313
- 11. Verbal mood 369
- 12. Deverbal nominalization 407
- 13. Tense 436
- 14. Modality 463
- 15. Conditionals 503
- 16. Propositional attitudes 532
- 17. Indexicality and De Se reports 562
- Index 619
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- 1. Pronouns 1
- 2. Definiteness and indefiniteness 33
- 3. Specificity 70
- 4. Quantifiers 112
- 5. Bare noun phrases 149
- 6. Possessives and relational nouns 177
- 7. Mass nouns and plurals 204
- 8. Genericity 232
- 9. Aspectual class and Aktionsart 274
- 10. Perfect and progressive 313
- 11. Verbal mood 369
- 12. Deverbal nominalization 407
- 13. Tense 436
- 14. Modality 463
- 15. Conditionals 503
- 16. Propositional attitudes 532
- 17. Indexicality and De Se reports 562
- Index 619
