Verbal Prepositions and Argument Structure: path, place and possession in Norwegian (Linguistik Aktuell Linguistics Today)

201 Pages·2008·3.51 MB·English

by  Mai Ellin Tungseth

Verbal Prepositions and Argument Structure
Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today (LA)
Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today (LA) provides a platform for original monograph
studies into synchronic and diachronic linguistics. Studies in LA confront empirical
and theoretical problems as these are currently discussed in syntax, semantics,
morphology, phonology, and systematic pragmatics with the aim to establish robust
empirical generalizations within a universalistic perspective.
General Editors
Werner Abraham Elly van Gelderen
University of Vienna / Rijksuniversiteit Arizona State University
Groningen
Advisory Editorial Board
Cedric Boeckx Christer Platzack
Harvard University University of Lund
Guglielmo Cinque Ian Roberts
University of Venice Cambridge University
Günther Grewendorf Lisa deMena Travis
J.W. Goethe-University, Frankfurt McGill University
Liliane Haegeman Sten Vikner
University of Lille, France University of Aarhus
Hubert Haider C. Jan-Wouter Zwart
University of Salzburg University of Groningen
Volume 121
Verbal Prepositions and Argument Structure. Path, place and possession
in Norwegian
by Mai Ellin Tungseth
Verbal Prepositions
and Argument Structure
Path, place and possession in Norwegian
Mai Ellin Tungseth
University of Tromsø
John Benjamins Publishing Company
Amsterdam / Philadelphia
TM The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of
8
American National Standard for Information Sciences – Permanence of
Paper for Printed Library Materials, ansi z39.48-1984.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Tungseth, Mai Ellin.
Verbal prepositions and argument structure : path, place and possession in Norwegian /
by Mai Ellin Tungseth.
p. cm. (Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today, issn 0166-0829 ; v. 121)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Norwegian language--Grammar. 2. Linguistics--Norway. 3. Space and time in
language. I. Title.
PD2621.T86 2008
439.8'25--dc22 2008002766
isbn 978 90 272 5504 4 (Hb; alk. paper)
© 2008 – John Benjamins B.V.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, photoprint, microfilm, or any
other means, without written permission from the publisher.
John Benjamins Publishing Co. · P.O. Box 36224 · 1020 me Amsterdam · The Netherlands
John Benjamins North America · P.O. Box 27519 · Philadelphia pa 19118-0519 · usa
Table of contents
Acknowledgements 
chapter 1. Setting the scene: Events, participants, paths, and places 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 The P chameleon 2
1.3 The interface between argument structure and syntax 7
1.3.1 Lexicalism vs. constructionism 8
1.3.2 Ramchand’s First phase syntax 14
1.3.3 The argument structure of adpositional phrases 20
1.4 Main findings of the book 22
chapter 2. Prepositions: Paths and places 25
2.1 Introduction 25
2.2 Locative prepositional phrases and verbs of motion 29
2.2.1 Types of verbs and interpretations of the PP 29
2.2.2 Goal of motion interpretations: Thomas (2001),
Folli & Ramchand (2002) 31
2.3 Diagnostics 34
2.3.1 Temporal adverbials 34
2.3.2 VP constituency tests 36
2.3.3 Ordering of adverbials 37
2.3.4 PP-topicalization and clefting 39
2.3.5 Distribution of anaphora 40
2.3.6 Accent placement/prosody 41
2.3.7 Summary of the findings 42
2.4 Expressions of location 43
2.4.1 A note on external vs. internal location 46
2.5 Directional expressions 46
2.5.1 Simplex and complex directional PPs 47
2.5.2 Til 48
2.5.3 Internally complex directional PPs 52
vi Verbal prepositions and argument structure
2.6 Analysis 54
2.6.1 Prepositions, argument structure and interpretations 56
2.6.2 Ambiguous PPs and locative and directional interpretations 57
2.6.3 The directional reading 57
2.6.4 The locative reading 60
2.7 Unambiguously directional PPs 61
2.7.1 Simplex directional PPs 62
2.7.2 Internally complex directional PPs 65
2.7.3 Directional PPs as adjuncts? 66
2.8 Summary 68
chapter 3. Possession and the notion of affected participants 69
3.1 Overview and aims 69
3.2 Previous treatments of double object constructions 70
3.2.1 Oehrle (1976) 71
3.2.2 Marantz (1984) 72
3.2.3 Kayne (1984) 73
3.2.4 Baker (1988) 74
3.2.5 Larson (1988, 1990) and Jackendoff (1990) 75
3.2.6 Hellan (1991) 78
3.2.7 Åfarli (1992) 79
3.2.8 Den Dikken (1995) 80
3.2.9 Pesetsky (1995) 83
3.2.10 Harley (2002) 83
3.3 Norwegian: Verb types and interpretations 84
3.3.1 What types of verbs? 85
3.3.2 The interpretation of the added participant 90
3.3.3 Analysis 95
3.3.4 Benefactive double object constructions 96
3.3.5 Deriving the structure 100
3.3.6 Summary of the findings for Norwegian 103
3.4 German 104
3.4.1 Distribution of beneficiaries and maleficiaries 105
3.4.2 Analysis 111
3.4.3 Creation verbs 113
3.4.4 Transitive verbs which do not refer to creation events 116
3.4.5 Unaccusative verbs and dative participants 120
3.5 Summary and remaining puzzles 122
Table of contents vii
chapter 4. Abstract places and results 125
4.1 Introduction 125
4.2 Til and lexically specified endpoints 130
4.3 Intransitive predicates and til 132
4.3.1 What are the properties of semelfactives? 133
4.3.2 What are the properties of degree achievements? 135
4.4 Data: Semelfactives and degree achievements 136
4.4.1 Semelfactives with and without til 137
4.4.2 Degree achievements with and without til 142
4.4.3 Interim summary 148
4.5 Analysis 149
4.5.1 Semelfactives 149
4.5.2 Degree achievements 152
4.5.3 Summary 154
4.6 Transitive semelfactives 155
4.6.1 Interpretations with and without til 155
4.6.2 DP vs. PP, and properties of event participants 159
4.6.3 Analysis and structures: Transitive semelfactives 162
4.7 Summary 165
chapter 5. Denouement: Summary and conclusions 167
Bibliography 175
Index 183

Acknowledgements
This book is a revised version of my doctoral dissertation in linguistics, which
I defended at the University of Tromsø in May 2006. I want to thank my supervi-
sor Peter Svenonius, who has shown deep interest in the topics at the heart of this
dissertation, demonstrated patience almost beyond limits, and his door has always
been open for discussion of trivial as well as more difficult problems. I am also
indebted to Gillian Ramchand, for discussion of theoretical as well as more banal
issues. In addition, I want to express my thanks to the external members of my
committee, Tor Åfarli and Heidi Harley, for useful discussions and suggestions as
to how to make this work more consistent.
I also want to thank Christer Platzack and Halldór Sigurðsson, who both en-
couraged me to publish this dissertation, and also to Werner Abraham and Elly
van Gelderen for showing enthusiasm and interest in my book. I am also greatly
indebted to Gunnar Hrafn Hrafnbjargarson for his magician-like knowledge of
LATEX; thanks a lot for helping me with the layout of this book.
Last, but not least: thanks to all my friends and family, and especially to
Thomas, for showing great patience with me throughout the process of writing
this work, and for making me understand that “det ordner seg” (everything will
be fine).