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This thesis examines constructions known as resultative constructions. In addition to the well-known adjectival resultative construction in English, I investigate the resultative V-V compound, found in Japanese, and the resultative serial verb construction, found in Edo. / I propose a new classification of these constructions, which focuses on the argument structure of the construction. In Japanese resultative V-V compounds, the argument structure of a compound reflects the argument structure of the second verb only, while in Edo, the argument structure of the construction reflects the argument structure of both verbs involved. With this criterion, English resultative constructions are divided into two classes---a resultative construction containing an intransitive verb is classified with Japanese resultative V-V compounds, and a resultative construction containing an object-selecting verb is classified with Edo resultative serial verb constructions. / Based on the classification provided here, I investigate two types of syntactic operations which license the concatenation of the predicates in resultative constructions. I argue that English intransitive resultative constructions and Japanese resultative V-V compounds are formed by adjoining one of the predicates on the other. The adjunction structure is then interpreted as conjunction called event identification. In contrast, English transitive resultative constructions and Edo resultative serial verb constructions are licensed by treating one of the predicates as a causative predicate. I argue that one of the predicates in these constructions undergoes lexical coercion, and acquires a causative meaning. The newly-formed causative verb takes the other predicate of the construction as its complement. This structure is then interpreted with function-application. I hence argue that the structural difference between the two types of resultative constructions also mirrors the difference in the type of semantic operations used to interpret these constructions.

Wang Lidi. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 237-244). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

Deng, Xiangjun. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 179-184). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.iv / Table of Contents --- p.vi / List of Tables --- p.ix / List of Figures --- p.x / Abbreviations --- p.xi / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Resultatives and the resultative verb compound in Mandarin --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Compositionality and event structure --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Compositionality --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Event structure --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Linguistic representation of the Mandarin RVC --- p.10 / Chapter 1.4 --- Issues of language acquisition --- p.11 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Acquisition of the resultatives and complex morphological forms --- p.11 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Issues addressed by previous studies on the acquisition of Mandarin RVCs --- p.14 / Chapter 1.5 --- Objectives of the present study --- p.16 / Chapter 1.6 --- Organization of the thesis --- p.18 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- The Resultative Verb Compound in Mandarin and Acquisition Issues --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1 --- RVC typology --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- The result-state RVC --- p.23 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- The directional RVC --- p.24 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- The completive RVC --- p.26 / Chapter 2.2 --- The lexicalist approach to the RVC --- p.27 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- The syntactic vs. lexicalist approaches --- p.28 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- In defense of the lexicalist analysis of RVCs --- p.37 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Lexical formation rules and acquisition --- p.46 / Chapter 2.3 --- Compositionality and event structure --- p.48 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Compositionality --- p.48 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- "Event structure, aspect and headedness" --- p.55 / Chapter 2.4 --- Issues in the acquisition of Mandarin RVC --- p.68 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Rule-based vs. usage-based learning --- p.68 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Event structure and aspect --- p.73 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Predictions --- p.76 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- RVCs in the Naturalistic Speech of Two Mandarin-speaking Children --- p.78 / Chapter 3.1 --- Methodology --- p.78 / Chapter 3.2 --- Overview of the results --- p.83 / Chapter 3.3 --- Types of RVCs used by children --- p.84 / Chapter 3.4 --- Compositionality --- p.89 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- ZTX's data --- p.90 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- CY's data --- p.95 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Discussion --- p.98 / Chapter 3.5 --- Event structure and aspect --- p.109 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Children's use of aspect markers --- p.109 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Children's use of the RVC with le --- p.113 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- V1-only uses --- p.120 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Children's Comprehension and Production of Novel RVCs --- p.124 / Chapter 4.1 --- Methodology --- p.124 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Rationale --- p.124 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Subjects --- p.125 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Materials --- p.126 / Chapter 4.1.4 --- Testing procedure --- p.130 / Chapter 4.1.5 --- Data analysis --- p.135 / Chapter 4.2 --- Experimental results --- p.138 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Child performance on novel RVCs --- p.138 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Adult performance on novel RVCs --- p.140 / Chapter 4.3 --- Error analysis --- p.142 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Errors in children's comprehension and use of RVCs --- p.142 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Errors in adults' comprehension and use of RVCs --- p.145 / Chapter 4.4 --- Summary of findings --- p.147 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Discussion and Conclusions --- p.152 / Chapter 5.1 --- "Children's use of RVCs: productivity, compositionality and event structure" --- p.152 / Chapter 5.2 --- Theoretical implications --- p.155 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- The lexicalist vs. syntactic approaches --- p.155 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- The rule-based vs. usage-based accounts --- p.156 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Compositionality and event structure --- p.160 / Chapter 5.3 --- Conclusions --- p.162 / Appendices --- p.166 / Appendix 1 Subjects of the experiment --- p.166 / Appendix 2 Test items in the experiment --- p.168 / Appendix 3 Compositional and non-compositional RVCs used by children --- p.171 / References --- p.179

 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

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.

by Belinda Nga Yee Wong. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-116). / Acknowledgements --- p.iv / Chapter CHAPTER ONE: --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO: --- THEORETICAL BACKGROUND --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.5 / Chapter 2.2 --- θ-Theory and Arguments --- p.7 / Chapter 2.3 --- Argument Structure / Lexical Syntactic Representation --- p.10 / Chapter 2.4 --- Lexical Syntactic Representation --- p.10 / Chapter 2.5 --- Summary --- p.20 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE: --- ENGLISH RESULTATIVES --- p.21 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.21 / Chapter 3.2 --- Features of English Resultatives --- p.21 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Categories for Resultative Phrase --- p.23 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Resultative Phrase as Complement --- p.26 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Transitive Resultatives --- p.29 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Intransitive Resultatives --- p.36 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Subject of Predicate Expression --- p.41 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- Syntactic Structure of Resultatives in the Literature --- p.41 / Chapter 3.2.7 --- Change-of-State Linking Rule --- p.45 / Chapter 3.3 --- Incompatibility of Verbs with Resultatives --- p.47 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Classification of Verbs --- p.47 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Incompatibility of Resultative Phrases with Stative Verbs --- p.49 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Resultative Phrases as Delimiters --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Incompatibility of Resultative Phrases with Verbs of Inherently Directed Motion --- p.51 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR : --- A PREDICATION THEORY FOR ENGLISH RESULTATIVES --- p.53 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.53 / Chapter 4.2 --- Bowers' Syntax of Predication --- p.57 / Chapter 4.3 --- An Extension of Bowers' Predication Theory to English Resultative Constructions --- p.60 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Introduction of Double Predication Structure --- p.60 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- The Notion of Causativity --- p.61 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- More about Conflation and Resultative Verbs --- p.62 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Weakness of Bowers' Structure --- p.65 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- A Modified Structure for Intransitive Resultatives with an Unergative --- p.65 / Chapter 4.3.6 --- A Suggested Structure for Transitive Resultatives --- p.67 / Chapter 4.3.7 --- A Suggested Structure for Intransitive Resultatives with an Ergative --- p.69 / Chapter 4.4 --- Concluding Remarks --- p.72 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE: --- CANTONESE RESULTATIVE CONSXRUCTIONS --- p.73 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.73 / Chapter 5.2 --- Dou-Constructions --- p.76 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- The Syntactic Properties of Dou-constructions --- p.76 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Null Elements in Cantonese --- p.82 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- The Status of V1 --- p.83 / Chapter 5.3 --- Directional Complements --- p.87 / Chapter 5.4 --- Summary --- p.89 / Chapter CHAPTER SIX: --- A PREDICATION THEORY FOR CANTONESE RESULTATIVES --- p.90 / Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.90 / Chapter 6.2 --- The Syntactic Derivations of Dou-Resultative Constructions with Intransitive --- p.90 / Chapter 6.3 --- The Syntactic Derivations of Dou-Resultative Constructions with Transitive --- p.93 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Base Positions for NP2 and NP3 --- p.95 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- Redupiication and V' Constraint --- p.98 / Chapter 6.4 --- Passive Resultatives --- p.100 / Chapter 6.5 --- A Note on Resultative Dou-Constructions with a Causative --- p.105 / Chapter 6.6 --- A Remark on V-V Compounds --- p.107 / Chapter 6.7 --- Summary --- p.109 / REFERENCES --- p.111

Text in Afrikaans / Because of the variety of relationships which exist between transitive verbs and their objects, all direct objects are not comparable with one another. One class of object, however, which stands by itself and which is of considerable interest, is the OBJECT OF RESULT. Because of the particular relation which exists between object and transitive verb in resulting constructions, we have here an unique class of direct object. The resulting construction is therefore, in the first instance a relation construction. This specific relation between transitive verb and object is mainly determined by the presence of or absence of certain inherent distinctive characteristics by transitive verbs and which play a determining role in identifying OBJECTS OF RESULT. From this study it is also clear that there is a semantic value present in transitive verbs (that can combine with objects of result) which has not been observed or distinguished by lexicographers and grammarians until recently. / Omdat voorwerpe van sinne in 'n verskeidenheid van betrekkinge met (oorganklike) werkwoorde kan staan, is alle direkte voorwerpe nie almal in alle opsigte vergelykbaar met mekaar nie. Waarskynlik die interessantste voorwerp in hierdie verskeidenheid is die RESULTATIEWE VOORWERP. As gevolg van die besondere verhouding wat daar bestaan tussen hierdie voorwerp en die HW, het ans hier te make met 'n unieke tipe direkte voorwerp wat kan aanspraak maak op 'n eie bestaansreg as 'n subkategorie van die hoofkategorie: Direkte Voorwerpe. Die resulterende konstruksie is dus, in die eerste plek, 'n verhoudingskonstruksie. Hierdie spesifieke verhouding tussen die HW en die voorwerp word grootliks bepaal deur die aan- of afwesigheid van sekere inherente distinktiewe kenmerke wat by oorganklike werkwoorde voorkom en wat 'n bepalende rol speel by die ontstaan van en identifisering van RESUL TATIEWE VOORWERPE. Uit hierdie ondersoek sal verder blyk dat daar 'n semantiese waarde by oorganklike werkwoorde is wat tot dusver nag nie deur taalkundiges/woordeboekmakers of woordverklaarders onderskep en onderskei is nie. Oorganklike werkwoorde kan dus fyner gedefinieer word ten opsigte van hul verbindbaarheid, al dan nie, met resultatiewe voorwerpe. / Language Education, Arts and Culture / M.A. (Afrikaans)

Among Urdu’s many verb+verb constructions, this thesis focuses on those constructions, which combine the stem of a main content verb with another inflected verb which is used in a semantically bleached sense. Prior work on these constructions has been focused on their structural make-up and syntactic behavior in various environments. While there is consensus among scholars (Butt 1995, Hook 1977, Carnikova 1989, Porizka 2000 et al.) that these stem+verb constructions encode aspectual information, to date no clear theory has been put forward to explain the nature of their aspectual contribution. In short, we do not have a clear idea why these constructions are used instead of simple verbs. This work is an attempt to understand the precise function of these constructions. I propose that simple verbs (henceforth SV) in Urdu deal only with the action of the verb whereas (regardless of the semantic information contributed by the second inflected verb,1) the stem+verb constructions essentially deal with the action of the verb as well as the state of affairs resulting from this action. The event represented by these constructions is essentially a telic event as defined by Comrie (1976), whose resultant state is highlighted from the use of these constructions. The attention of the listener is then shifted to the result of this telic event, whose salience in the discourse is responsible for various interpretations of the event; hence my term ‘resultive construction’ (henceforth RC). When these constructions are made using the four special verbs (rah ‘stay’, sak ‘can’, paa ‘manage’ and cuk ‘finish’), the product is not resultive. Each of these verbs behaves differently and is somewhere between a resultive and an auxiliary verb construction. This work can be extended to other verb-verb construction in Urdu and other related and non-related languages as well. The analysis of the precise function of the RCs can also help in developing a model for them in various functional grammars. The proposed properties of RCs can be utilized in the semantic analysis of the Urdu quantifiers. This work should aid in identification and explanation of constructions in other languages, particularly those that are non-negatable under normal contexts. [1] All second inflected verbs with the exception of four special verbs rah ‘stay’, sak ‘can’, paa ‘manage’ and cuk ‘finish’. These four special verbs are either auxiliaries or modals as identified in prior literature.