eCommons

 

The event structure of light verbs

Other Titles

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.

Journal / Series

Volume & Issue

Description

127 pages

Sponsorship

Date Issued

2023-08

Publisher

Keywords

aspect; light verb; semantics; syntax

Location

Effective Date

Expiration Date

Sector

Employer

Union

Union Local

NAICS

Number of Workers

Committee Chair

Diesing, Molly

Committee Co-Chair

Committee Member

Murray, Sarah
Despic, Miloje

Degree Discipline

Linguistics

Degree Name

Ph. D., Linguistics

Degree Level

Doctor of Philosophy

Related Version

Related DOI

Related To

Related Part

Based on Related Item

Has Other Format(s)

Part of Related Item

Related To

Related Publication(s)

Link(s) to Related Publication(s)

References

Link(s) to Reference(s)

Previously Published As

Government Document

ISBN

ISMN

ISSN

Other Identifiers

Rights

Attribution 4.0 International

Types

dissertation or thesis

Accessibility Feature

Accessibility Hazard

Accessibility Summary

Link(s) to Catalog Record