Unaccusativity

At the Syntax-Lexical Semantics Interface

Beth Levin (Stanford University), Malka Rappaport Hovav

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English

MIT Press
07 December 1994

Semantics; Grammar, syntax

Series: Linguistic Inquiry Monographs

Besides providing extensive support for David Perlmutter's hypothesis that unaccusativity is syntactically represented but semantically determined, this monograph contributes significantly to the development of a theory of lexical semantic representation and to the elucidation of the mapping from lexical semantics to syntax.

Unaccusativity is an extended investigation into a set of linguistic phenomena that have received much attention over the last fifteen years. Besides providing extensive support for David Perlmutter's hypothesis that unaccusativity is syntactically represented but semantically determined, this monograph contributes significantly to the development of a theory of lexical semantic representation and to the elucidation of the mapping from lexical semantics to syntax. Perlmutter's Unaccusative Hypothesis proposes that there are two classes of intransitive verbs - unergatives and unaccusatives - each associated with a distinct syntactic configuration. Unaccusativity begins by isolating the semantic factors that determine whether a verb will be unaccusative or unergative through a careful examination of the behavior of intransitive verbs from a range of semantic classes in diverse syntactic constructions. Notable are the extensive discussions of verbs of motion, verbs of emission, and various types of verbs of change of state. The authors then introduce rules that determine the syntactic expression of the arguments of the verbs investigated and examine the interactions among them. The proper treatment of verbs that systematically show multiple meanings - and hence variable classification as unaccusative or unergative - is also considered. In the final chapter, the authors argue that the distribution of locative inversion, a purported unaccusative diagnostic, is determined instead by discourse considerations. Linguistic Inquiry Monograph No. 26

By: Beth Levin (Stanford University), Malka Rappaport Hovav
Imprint: MIT Press
Country of Publication: United States
Volume: 26
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 19mm
Weight: 567g
ISBN: 9780262620949
ISBN 10: 0262620944
Series: Linguistic Inquiry Monographs
Pages: 350
Publication Date: 07 December 1994
Recommended Age: From 18 years
Audience: Adult education , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Tertiary & Higher Education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Samuel Jay Keyser is Professor Emeritus in MIT's Department of Linguistics and Philosophy and Special Assistant to the Chancellor. Head of the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy from 1977 to 1998, he also held the positions of Director of the Center for Cognitive Science and Associate Provost.