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  4. The event structure of light verbs

The event structure of light verbs

File(s)
Sobolak_cornellgrad_0058F_13847.pdf (523.29 KB)
Permanent Link(s)
https://doi.org/10.7298/x25f-9v41
https://hdl.handle.net/1813/114764
Collections
Cornell Theses and Dissertations
Author
Sobolak, Frances
Abstract

This dissertation systematically investigates how light verbs contribute to eventstructure across three, typologically different languages: English, Hindi-Urdu, and Korean. I first show that light verbs across the three languages vary in their structural position and function. English light verbs take and give remain low in the structure, in VP, while the Hindi-Urdu light verb le ‘take’ occupies an intermediary (Inner) Aspect head just below the head that introduces the external argument, vP. The Korean light verb peli sits even higher in the structure, in an aspect head above vP. This structural variation is reflected in the effect that the light verbs have on the lexical aspect of the predicate. Light verbs in all three languages make the event telic, regardless of the type of event the light verb combines with. In summary, this dissertation provides a brief typological overview of the syntactic function and semantic role of light verbs, providing new insights into how light verbs contribute to event structure.

Description
127 pages
Date Issued
2023-08
Keywords
aspect
•
light verb
•
semantics
•
syntax
Committee Chair
Diesing, Molly
Committee Member
Murray, Sarah
Despic, Miloje
Degree Discipline
Linguistics
Degree Name
Ph. D., Linguistics
Degree Level
Doctor of Philosophy
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International
Rights URI
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Type
dissertation or thesis
Link(s) to Catalog Record
https://newcatalog.library.cornell.edu/catalog/16219192

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