TY - JOUR

T1 - Complex predicates in German resultative constructions

AU - Richter, Michael

PY - 2002

Y1 - 2002

N2 - This paper proposes a syntactic solution for resultative constructions in German like etwas klein schneiden, etwas rot färben, etwas rund feilen or sich gesund schlafen. The proposal is based on the assumption that the argument frame of certain verbs can be extended by an extraordinary clause, i.e. a pseudo-complement with a predicate-argument structure, known in the literature as Small Clause. The predicate is joined with the verb in the matrix sentence by predicate raising, and both form a complex predicate; the embedded clause is unioned with the matrix clause ("Clause Union"). This analysis fits in with the analysis of coherent sentences, and, indeed, resultatives do exhibit essential properties of coherence in the sense of Bech (1983). I thus interpret resultative constructions as a product of predicate raising, although this term can also be understood in a representational/non-transformational sense. This paper discusses some constructions that seem to have no satisfactory explanation in small-clause approaches, for example the suppression of the object of the verb in a sentence like er trinkt den Weinkeller leer. Here den Weinkeller is not the object of the verb. The present analysis proposes that the object variable in the semantic representation stays empty for semantic reasons, while in er schneidet das Gemüse klein there are no semantic reasons to prevent das Gemüse being the object of the verb. As theoretical framework I use the transformational grammar Semantic Syntax (Seuren 1996), although the analysis should also be compatible with non-transformational approaches like HPSG or categorial grammars.

AB - This paper proposes a syntactic solution for resultative constructions in German like etwas klein schneiden, etwas rot färben, etwas rund feilen or sich gesund schlafen. The proposal is based on the assumption that the argument frame of certain verbs can be extended by an extraordinary clause, i.e. a pseudo-complement with a predicate-argument structure, known in the literature as Small Clause. The predicate is joined with the verb in the matrix sentence by predicate raising, and both form a complex predicate; the embedded clause is unioned with the matrix clause ("Clause Union"). This analysis fits in with the analysis of coherent sentences, and, indeed, resultatives do exhibit essential properties of coherence in the sense of Bech (1983). I thus interpret resultative constructions as a product of predicate raising, although this term can also be understood in a representational/non-transformational sense. This paper discusses some constructions that seem to have no satisfactory explanation in small-clause approaches, for example the suppression of the object of the verb in a sentence like er trinkt den Weinkeller leer. Here den Weinkeller is not the object of the verb. The present analysis proposes that the object variable in the semantic representation stays empty for semantic reasons, while in er schneidet das Gemüse klein there are no semantic reasons to prevent das Gemüse being the object of the verb. As theoretical framework I use the transformational grammar Semantic Syntax (Seuren 1996), although the analysis should also be compatible with non-transformational approaches like HPSG or categorial grammars.

KW - Didactics of the German language

UR - https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000183860100003

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34248718855&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 30

SP - 237

EP - 251

JO - Deutsche Sprache

JF - Deutsche Sprache

SN - 0340-9341

IS - 3

ER -