Edge-based clausal syntax : a study of (mostly) English object structure

484 Pages·2010·2.758 MB·English

by  Postal, Paul Martin

Edge-Based Clausal Syntax

Edge-Based Clausal Syntax
AStudy of(Mostly) English Object Structure
PaulM. Postal
TheMITPress
Cambridge,Massachusetts
London,England
62010MassachusettsInstituteofTechnology
Allrights reserved. Nopart of thisbook maybereproduced inanyform by any
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ThisbookwassetinTimesNewRomanandSyntaxon3B2byAscoTypesetters,
HongKong.PrintedandboundintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Postal,PaulMartin,1936–
Edge-basedclausalsyntax:astudyof(mostly)Englishobjectstructure/PaulM.
Postal
p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-0-262-01481-6(alk.paper) — ISBN978-0-262-51275-6(pbk.:alk.
paper) 1.Grammar,Comparativeandgeneral—Syntax. 2.Grammar,
Comparativeandgeneral—Clauses. 3.Englishlanguage—Syntax. I.Title.
P291.P67 2011
425—dc22 2010015782
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Distinct from logic, distinct from psychology, syntax has to search for its own law
onlyinitself.Itisautonomous.
—LucienTesnie`re,Ele´mentsdeSyntaxeStructurale

Contents
ForewordbyChrisCollins xi
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xvii
1 Introduction 1
1.1 ConceptBarrels 1
1.2 LanguagesandGrammars 3
1.3 LinguisticTrees 7
1.4 Edge-ExtendedLinguisticTrees 10
1.5 BeyondEdge-ExtendedLinguisticTrees:Metagraphs 23
1.6 Anaphora,ArcRelations,andArcTypes 33
2 ObjectsandArrays 47
2.1 Objects 47
2.2 DiverseTypesofEnglishObjects 49
2.3 TypesofSingleObjectStructures 54
2.4 Array0 55
2.5 Array1 56
2.6 Array2 64
2.7 ThePrefixRe- 68
2.8 WhattheDistinctArraysImply 69
3 DoubleObjectStructures 75
3.1 Basics 75
3.2 LinksbetweenArray2SingleObjectsandDitransitiveFirst
Objects 78
3.3 PrepositionalFlagging 97
3.4 Moreon3Objectsand3-Object-to-2Advancement 103
3.5 LinksbetweenArray1SingleObjectsandDitransitiveSecond
Objects 106
3.6 TheUniversalStatusof3Objectand4ObjectTypes 111
3.7 DistinctRelationsatDi¤erentLevels 115
viii Contents
3.8 Reconstructing3ObjectsasaSpecialKindofPP 128
3.9 AProbleminPeruvianSpanish 131
3.10 CertainGermanDitransitive3Objects 134
4 PeriphrasticandNonperiphrasticPassives 141
4.1 PreliminaryRemarks 141
4.2 TheOverallStructureofPeriphrasticPassiveConstituents 141
4.3 ClauseUnionComplementPassives 151
4.4 ClausesThatOnlyLookLikePeriphrasticPassives 158
4.5 MoreonPeruvianSpanish3-Object-to-2Advancement 161
4.6 PassiveVictimArcConstraints 162
4.7 MiddlesasSyntheticPassives 167
4.8 RemarksonAntipassives 180
4.9 Appendix:RemarksonAdjectivalClauses 188
5 PassivizationTargets:I 197
5.1 TheAdequacyofSimple2ObjectRestrictions 197
5.2 PseudopassivesandPseudomiddles 200
5.3 TheInteractionofDitransitivePassiveswithDemotionto4 215
5.4 Appendix:PseudopassivesandAdjectivalConversion 221
6 PassivizationTargets:II 231
6.1 PeriphrasticPassivizationandRestrictedPhenomena 231
6.2 ExpletiveThere:Basics 232
6.3 ExpletiveThere:FurtherImplications 249
6.4 Implications:Pseudopassive/DitransitivePassiveParallels 254
6.5 Particlesand3Object-LikeBehavior 259
7 PassivizationTargets:III 265
7.1 PassiveConclusionsSoFar 265
7.2 TheMostBasicConstraintsonEnglishPassivization 266
7.3 BasicPastDitransitivePassiveObservations 268
7.4 EnrichingtheDatabase:I 271
7.5 EnrichingtheDatabase:II 276
7.6 NotEnrichingtheDatabase 279
7.7 FailuresofDitransitive4ObjectPassivization 280
7.8 TwoAlternativeViewpoints 289
8 Visser’sGeneralization 297
8.1 AMuch-DiscussedPassivizationFailure 297
8.2 OtherControlCases 299
8.3 OneAspectofVisser’sGeneralizationHasNothingtoDowith
Control 302
8.4 Visser’sGeneralizationandConstraintson3Object
Passivization 304
Contents ix
8.5 Visser’sGeneralizationDoesNotFullyReducetoIndependent
PassivePrinciples 311
8.6 Perlmutter’sGeneralization 322
8.7 Quace-BasedConstraintsonPseudopassivizationandQ
Constructions 330
8.8 SomeIssuesRelatedtoVisser’sGeneralization 338
8.9 TheAbsenceofVisser’sGeneralizationRestrictionsinPromise
Nominalizations 343
8.10 FrenchParallelstoVisser’sGeneralization 344
8.11 AnApparentProblem 352
9 ClauseswithThatClauseComplements 357
9.1 SomeBasicThatClausePassiveConsiderations 357
9.2 TypeIIVerbalClauseStructures 361
9.3 DitransitiveClauseswithThatClauseComplements 372
9.4 AParadigm 381
9.5 BriefRemarksonParticles,3Objects,andThatClauses 385
10 Results,IfAny 389
Notes 391
References 431
AuthorIndex 453
SubjectIndex 457