Classes of Lexical Verbs

1. Classes of Lexical Verbs Verb complementation

2. Overview Verbs select different kinds of syntactic objects to form a complete VP, along 3 dimensions: • Syntactic category (NP, S´, PP, AdvP, AP) • Syntactic function (object(s), predicative complement, adjuncts) • Semantic function (Agentive, Theme, Locative, Temporal, etc.)

3. General structure of VP VP Aux V´ Functions V selects XP V selects the category of XP and determines its syntactic and semantic functions

4. The ambiguity of ‘complement’ Object Prepositional Complement (Predicative) Complement Direct (OD) Indirect (OI) Prepositional Object (OP) Subject- Comple- ment (CS) Object Comple- ment (CO) Adverbial Comple- ment (CA) Complement

5. Monotransitives select one, direct, object (OD) • Ditansitives select two objects, one indirect (OI) and one direct • Complex transitives select one direct object and one adjunct (CA) • Simple intensives select a subject predicative complement (CS) • Complex intensives select a direct object and an object predicative • complement (CO) Transitivity: selection of syntactic functions Intransitives select no complements Transitives select objects Intensives select predicative complements

6. S Subject Intransitives VP NP Aux V´ V XP John may break call *give laugh meander *put run win Ø

7. S Subject VP NP Aux V´ OD V NP John may break call give laugh *meander *put run win the news a cab a fiver a silly laugh the book the horse a prize Monotransitives

8. S Subject VP PP NP Aux V´ OD V NP may be -en break call give laugh *meander *put run win (by John) Test for objects: passivization the news a cab a fiver ?a silly laugh the book the horse a prize t

9. S Subject VP NP Aux V´ OD NP V´ OI John may V NP *break call give *laugh *meander *run win his parents us me them us himself the news a cab a fiver a silly laugh the horse a prize Ditransitives

10. S Subject VP NP Aux V´ CA AdvP/PP V´ OD John may V NP call give *laugh *meander put run *win me his sister a silly laugh the book the horse a prize over up ? on the shelf down ? Complex transitives

11. Phrasal verbs: V + (Adverbial) Particle + NP (OD) John gave his sister up = John gave up his sister John gave her up < > *John gave up her Prepositional verbs: V + PP John looked at his sister < > *John looked his sister at John looked at her < > *John looked her at Phrasal and prepositional verbs

12. S Subject VP NP CS NP/AP Aux V´ V a nice chap / very nice a cab driver / famous a fine figure / *AP a good husband / good *NP/ naked a nice guy / nice *NP1) / green John may be become cut make run seem turn 1) Notice turn traitor (idiomatic) Simple intensives

13. S Subject VP NP Aux V´ CO NP/AP V´ OD John may V NP call eat run his sister his steak the horse an idiot / stupid *NP / raw *NP / tired Complex intensives

14. John prefers Greek beer NP John prefers that we take a taxi S´ John prefers to take a taxi InfP John prefers going by taxi GerP John prefers for us to take a taxi InfP *John prefers for a taxi PP *John prefers moderately AdvP *John prefers very pretty AdjP Selection of category