Support verb constructions (henceforth: SVCs) are constructions consisting of a verb with a reduced meaning (when compared to the full verb) and a noun. Previous analyses (e.g. von Polenz 1963, Winhart 2002) provide a detailed account of the function of the verb in SVCs. However, neither of the two approaches fully explains why certain verb-noun combinations are unacceptable. Geraten ('to get into') can combine with Brand ('fire') in but not with Feuer ('fire') even though the two nouns are synonyms. This dissertation proposes a novel approach towards identifying selectional restrictions in German support verb constructions by applying insights from Frame Semantics (Fillmore 1985) and Construction Grammar. It differs from syntactic-centric and lexical-conceptual structure approaches in that frame-semantic information is shown to directly influence a verb's and a noun's ability to combine with each other. I argue that the nominalization Feuer cannot combine with the support verb because the frame- semantic information evoked by Feuer is incompatible with the frame semantics of geraten. Thus, either the verb and/or the noun blocks the formation of a support verb construction. My analysis demonstrates that in order for the support verb and the noun to be able to combine, their frame-semantic information needs to be compatible. However, in some circumstances SVCs need to be listed as idioms in the lexicon because there do not seem to be any compositional restrictions that allow geraten to combine with Brand ('fire'), but not Feuer ('fire'). Based on a corpus of more than 1000 SVCs with geraten, I show that there are different patterns of productivity and idomaticity. Some SVCs, such as ins Rollen geraten ('to start rolling'), allow widespread replacement of the noun with near-synonyms. Other SVCs, such as in Brand geraten ('starting to burn'), do not allow such replacement. In this view, both the abstract meaning of an SVC (e.g., in X geraten 'to get into X') and item-specific knowledge needs to be captured to be able to account for the full range of SVCs headed by geraten. Therefore, I posit a new construction that captures all the meanings expressed by SVCs with geraten. / text

published_or_final_version / Linguistics / Master / Master of Philosophy

 This thesis focuses on a special type of construction in Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese long discussed in the literature, namely resultative constructions. The interest of the study lies in the fact that resultative constructions involve an interesting mismatch phenomenon of the mapping of grammatical functions and semantic roles. Since grammatical functions and semantic roles are the building blocks of syntax and semantics, the mapping between grammatical functions and semantic roles is considered a manifestation of the syntactic and semantic interface and it is believed that the study of the mapping between them will shed light on the form and meaning association found inhuman language. However, while an adequate mapping theory can reflect how human experience or meaning is expressed in language, the mapping between grammatical functions and semantic roles is neither linear nor mutually correspondent on a one-to-one basis, rendering the nature of its mechanism obscure. In this thesis, the interface between the semantic and syntactic realizations of resultative constructions in Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese will be investigated. The goal is to seek an optimal approach which can provide a more satisfactory account in handling mapping of Mandarin and Cantonese resultatives and explaining the special properties of the V-V structures involved in Mandarin and Cantonese resultative constructions. Drawing from the insights of previous accounts and the properties of resultative constructions, a working definition for resultatives is proposed. Through reviewing some current mapping accounts and revealing their inadequacies and limitations in handling grammatical functions and semantic roles mapping in resultative constructions in Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese, I am going to argue that Jackendoff’s (1990) conceptual semantics approach provides an optimal structure for the representation of resultative compounds in particular and the resultative constructions in general in Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese. I also want to argue that the investigation of the resultative constructions in Mandarin and Cantonese not only sheds light on the prospect of applying Jackendoff’s (1990) conceptual semantics approach to understanding other types of constructions and special phenomena in Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese, but also indicates a new direction of study in the possible multiple sense involved in Mandarin and Cantonese compounds. / published_or_final_version / Linguistics / Master / Master of Philosophy

In this thesis, I propose a theory of ergativity in which NP arguments are checked for Case by moving to projections of agreement at LF. The Case-marking pattern of an ergative language arises when transitive subjects move to the projection of agreement usually associated with objects (AGR.o), while transitive objects and intransitive subjects move to the projection of subject agreement (AGR.s). While this proposal assigns the same underlying structure to clauses in an ergative language (unlike Marantz, 1984), it does have distinctive syntactic effects. In this it contrasts with a purely morphological approach to ergativity, such as that of Anderson (1976). / Arguments can move to the specifier position of agreement, or adjoin to its maximal projection. Movement cannot take place across the same kind of position as the landing site, which leads us to predict that transitive subjects cannot undergo grammatical extraction in an ergative language. This prediction turns out to be correct in a number of languages, including Chamorro, Mam, and other members of the Mayan group. Our theory also allows for a plausible account of split ergativity--non-canonical patterns in an otherwise ergative language where transitive and intransitive subjects are marked the same, but behave differently under extraction. / The proposal that NPs are not checked for Case until LF entails that they remain in their base positions at S-structure. Evidence for this claim is adduced from the distribution of empty pronoun arguments whose contents must be identified. Our prediction is that transitive subjects in an ergative language will interfere in the identification of an empty object pronoun, since it is closer to the pronoun than its legitimate identifier, AGR.s. This is also shown to be the case.

People who learn languages encounter a number of problems, especially with the grammar of the language which can be complicated and which can appear confusing. For many centuries grammarians have tried to discern a basic grammatical system that would be valid for all languages at all times. Unfortunately, this search for a universal grammar has proved futile. It was proved that each language has evolved its own grammatical system and this system serves the needs of this particular language. Thus, it can be stated, that two languages can seldom fully coincide in their grammatical structure, for alongside with common grammatical traits they have a number of grammatical differences as well. This research focuses on the features of the infinitive and infinitival constructions and presents the ways they are translated from English into Lithuanian. The presented examples are selected from the world known fiction pieces: London, J. ‘The Sea Wolf’ and Fitzgerald, F. S. ‘The Great Gatsby’, Galsworthy, J. ‘The Forsyte Saga’ and their translations into Lithuanian. Both, English and Lithuanian verbs have infinitive forms; however, this does not mean they are totally identical. The work highlights that, even though grammatical categories might seem to be identical in both languages, however, they differ in their functions and the extent of lexical items. The difficulties that translators might encounter while rendering the infinitive and infinitival constructions from English into... [to full text]

This thesis concerns infinitives of result in English, examples of which are given under (a-c). (a) John designed a battery to operate at high temperatures. (b) John designed a battery to win a prize. (c) John designed a battery for the competition, only to discover that he was ineligible. The infinitive in (a) is called a Purpose Clause; the infinitive in (b) is called a Rationale Clause; and the infinitive in (c) is called a Telic Clause. These infinitives are optional modifiers of the verbs with which they occur. I argue, however, that important characteristics of their form and interpretation follow naturally if the infinitives are assumed to have argument structures which must be incorporated into the argument structure of the verb they modify. In Chapter 1, I introduce the constructions and offer a general discussion of the problems posed by modifiers in a study of natural language semantics, arguing that these problems are best addressed by viewing modifiers as predicates of a standard sort. This establishes a central hypothesis of this thesis, namely that the syntax and semantics of modification should be incorporated into the theory of argument structure, or "theta theory". In Chapter 2, I offer a summary of key works in the literature in two areas: theories of argument projection by Williams and Higginbotham and studies of infinitives of result by Faraci, Bach, Chierchia, and Jones. In Chapter 3, I apply a range of syntactic tests to establish the structural relation of the infinitives to the sentences they modify. I argue that the infinitives are embedded at an increasing distance from the modified verb, from which important characteristics of their distribution follow. In Chapter 4, I turn to the internal syntax of the constructions and consider the nature and distribution of the gaps that occur within each infinitive and the manner in which those gaps are interpreted. I relate key characteristics of the infinitives to the nature of their argument grids. I also address constraints on interpretation introduced by pronominal binding in the infinitives. In Chapter 5, I discuss a variety of problems on the syntax-semantics interface involving argument structure and control. The issues raised move from the relatively syntactic (phrase structure accounts of Purpose Clause antecedence and the possibility of event control for the Rationale and Telic Clauses) to the philosophical semantic (causal efficacy and the nature of resultant states in the interpretation of the Purpose Clause). I then offer a full sample analysis of a sentence modified by all three infinitives of result. My conclusion points again to the importance of argument structure in an analysis of infinitives of result in particular and of modification in general.

Cette étude qualitative a pour objectif d’explorer les constructions discursives de la santé, de l’obésité et du corps de jeunes femmes vivant en situation de handicap visuel. Il s’agit, entre autre, d’obtenir des données empiriques afin de développer une meilleure compréhension de la manière dont ces jeunes femmes se sentent interpellées et se positionnent au sein du discours dominant de l’obésité et/ou de discours corporels alternatifs. Des « entre-vues » ont été réalisées auprès de 20 jeunes femmes vivant en situation de handicap visuel, provenant du Québec et de l’Ontario. Les récits des jeunes femmes ont été enregistrés, transcrits et par la suite analysés par le biais d’une analyse du discours guidée par la théorie féministe poststructuraliste. Les résultats sont présentés sous la forme de trois articles. Le premier article porte sur les constructions discursives de la santé des jeunes femmes vivant en situation de handicap visuel, le deuxième article présente les constructions discursives de l’obésité des participantes et finalement, le troisième article expose les manières dont ces jeunes femmes construisent de manière discursive le « corps sain » et s’engagent dans des pratiques de santé normalisantes afin d’atteindre ce « corps sain ». De manière générale, les résultats de l’analyse thématique suggèrent que le handicap de nature visuel n’empêche pas les jeunes femmes de « visualiser » les images corporelles et les « corps gros » ainsi que de construire la santé en termes strictement corporels et comme étant de responsabilité individuelle via l’adoption de pratiques disciplinaires. L’analyse poststructuraliste a permis d’observer les positions multiples et fluides que les jeunes femmes adoptent en tant que « sujets » : à certains moments en tant que sujets néolibéraux, reproduisant sans questionner les éléments de différents discours patriarcaux dominants (i.e., obésité, responsabilité personnelle et morale envers la santé, féminité et capacitisme) mais à d’autres moments en tant que sujets « poststructuralistes » capables d’apporter un regard critique sur les discours dominants et ainsi de reconstruire la notion de santé, d’obésité et de corps sain autrement et de manière moins oppressive.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 539-582). / Also available by subscription via World Wide Web / xxiv, 582 leaves, bound in 2 v. 29 cm

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Nevada, Reno, 2006. / "December, 2006." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-91). Online version available on the World Wide Web. Library also has microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mich. : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [2006]. 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm.

Mémoire (M.Sc.A.)--Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 1991. / Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU