A Parametric Approach to the Typology of Serial Verb Constructions

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-8921.2014.10.004

Abstract

Abstract: The present study is mainly concerned with the types of serial verb constructions in terms of parameters. It is argued that the word order typology and the variation of serial verb constructions bear on the parametric variation of verb movement under the framework of generative grammar. The parameters of verb movement follow the order: the object/verb of SOV serial verb constructions＞ the object/verb of SVO serial verb constructions＞ the object/verb of single verb constructions. The further the verb moves, the more patienthood the object displays and the more tendency the constructions display to violate Temporal Iconicity. In other words, serial verb constructions arise from verb movement. The above contention is supported by independent evidence from linguistic typology, the morphology of aspect markers and the distribution of indefinite objects in serial verb constructions.

CLC Number:

H043

YANG Yongzhong. A Parametric Approach to the Typology of Serial Verb Constructions[J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2014, 14(10): 17-24.

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