Complex predicate constructions and the semantics of simple verbs
Chapter 8, “Complex predicate constructions and the semantics of simple verbs”, compares the semantic possibilities of certain complex predicate constructions in order to gain a better understanding of the semantics of simple verbal constructions. Resultative constructions (those combining a main predicate with a result expression) fall into two categories, which are best characterized in terms of the contrast between directed change and undirected change. The range of semantic relations between subevents found in depictive constructions, serial verb constructions and converb constructions also suggest that by contrast, the semantics of simple verb constructions are more constrained in a number of semantic dimensions. Simple verbs appear to denote maximally individuated events.
Keywords: event structure, verbs, verbal semantics, resultative constructions, depictive constructions, serial verb constructions, converb constructions, directed change, undirected change, aspect
Oxford Scholarship Online requires a subscription or purchase to access the full text of books within the service. Public users can however freely search the site and view the abstracts and keywords for each book and chapter.
Please, subscribe or login to access full text content.
If you think you should have access to this title, please contact your librarian.
To troubleshoot, please check our FAQs , and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us .