Concluding Remarks
Concluding Remarks
The final chapter first revisits the issue of transitivity of impersonal verbs and concludes that Middle English verbs of emotion are likely to occur in impersonal constructions if they are causative, have low transitivity, tend to choose inanimate Targets of Emotions, and can express episodic mental states, whereas non-impersonal usage may be ascribed to the lack of causation, having high transitivity, preference for animate Targets of Emotions, or tendency to express a long-term feeling. These parameters all become less rigid from around the fourteenth century, leading several verbs which do not necessarily meet this generalization to appear in impersonal constructions as nonce expressions. The chapter reveals further correlations with how emotions are defined and classified in psychology. Suggestions for future research are also offered.
Keywords: animacy, causation, duration, fourteenth century, impersonal verbs, psychology, Target of Emotion, transitivity
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