Productivity, richness, and diversity of light verb constructions in the history of American English

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 349-388
Author(s):  
John D. Sundquist
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
American English ◽  
Linguistic Change ◽  
Light Verbs ◽  
Light Verb Constructions ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
Verb Constructions ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Rich

Abstract This study provides an empirical analysis of productivity in Light Verb Constructions (LVCs) in the history of American English. LVCs contain a semantically light verb like make or take that may be paired with an abstract nominal object, as in make an assumption or take charge. Using a 406-million word corpus of texts written between 1810 and 2009, we track the frequency of LVCs and analyze the range of light verb + nominal object pairings. Using statistical measurements of biodiversity from the field of ecology, we evaluate the hypothesis that “the rich get richer” among light verbs: the most frequent verbs become more frequent and more diverse, occurring with an ever-growing variety of different NP complements. The results contribute to ongoing discussions in cross-linguistic, diachronic research on reasons for the growth of LVCs, the gradient nature of linguistic productivity, and the role of exemplars in the interaction between type and token frequencies during periods of linguistic change.

The diachrony of light and auxiliary verbs in Indo-Aryan

Diachronica ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 531-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Slade
Keyword(s):  
Historical Development ◽  
Light Verbs ◽  
Auxiliary Verbs ◽  
Light Verb Constructions ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
Verb Constructions ◽  
Compound Verb

This study examines the historical development of light verbs in Indo-Aryan. I investigate the origins of the modern Indo-Aryan compound verb construction, and compare this construction with other light verb constructions in Indo-Aryan. Examination of the antecedents of the Indo-Aryan compound verb construction alongside other Indo-Aryan light verb constructions, combined with analysis of lexical and morphosyntactic differences between the compound verb systems of two Indo-Aryan languages (Hindi and Nepali), demonstrate that light verbs are not a stable or unchanging part of grammar, but rather undergo a variety of changes, including reanalysis as tense/aspect auxiliaries.

scholarly journals Determining light verb constructions in contemporary British and Irish English

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 326-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Ronan ◽  
Gerold Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Light Verbs ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Light Verb Constructions ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
Verb Constructions ◽  
Quantitative Results

This study implements an automated parser-based approach to the investigation of light verb constructions. The database consisting of ICE-GB and ICE-IRE is used to obtain qualitative and quantitative results on the use of light verb structures. The study explains and evaluates the steps employed to optimize parser output in detecting open lists of light verb constructions. It discusses the qualitative usage differences of these structures in the data between the two varieties and finds that ICE-GB favours fewer high frequency light verbs while ICE-IRE contains more diverse lower frequency light verbs and more passives. Overall, counts of light verb constructions are considerably higher than previously assumed. The projected counts suggest that attestations of light verb constructions will increase considerably if the search is not restricted to certain high-frequency light verbs as is typically done in studies employing manual or semi-automatic approaches to data collection.

scholarly journals A new passive form in Mandarin

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-34
Author(s):  
C.-T. James Huang ◽  
Na Liu
Keyword(s):  
Early Stage ◽  
Active Form ◽  
Light Verb Constructions ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
Verb Constructions ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Intransitive Verbs ◽  
Real Essence ◽  
Chinese And English

This paper discusses the syntax, semantics and historical source of the new bèi XX construction in Mandarin from a cross-linguistic perspective. We argue that bèi XX is not a special construction that involves the passivization of intransitive verbs. What is passivized in it is not XX itself but a null light verb with the elementary semantics of a causative, putative or activity predicate that takes XX as its complement or adjunct. Such null light verb constructions are abundant in Old Chinese and English, though often not in passive form. Different from them, the bèi XX construction does not have a grammatical active form. We attribute this difference to the difference between synthetic and analytic languages, and account for it by a parameter in derivational timing. The appearance of the bèi XX construction marks Modern Chinese as being at the early stage of a new cycle of change. The analysis of the bèi XX construction as proposed capitalizes on the role of light verb syntax as being the real essence of grammar, and lends important support to the non-projectionist theories of syntax-lexicon mapping such as Distributed Morphology.

scholarly journals Comparative analysis of a specific type of lexical collocation (light verb + noun) in Croatian, Italian and English language and its use in classroom teaching of lexis

2020 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-348
Author(s):  
Marijana Alujević ◽  
Tanja Brešan Ančić ◽  
Dijana Vinčić
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
English Language ◽  
Contrastive Analysis ◽  
Light Verbs ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Light Verb Constructions ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
Comparative Review ◽  
Verb Constructions

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview and the analysis of collocations, one of the most significant aspects of idiomatic use of language. A special emphasis has been put on a comparative review of the most common Light Verb Constructions consisting of light verbs (cro. lagani glagoli, ital. verbi supporto) and nouns in Croatian, English and Italian language. The aforementioned construction is chosen since it is extremely common in the early stages of language acquisition. Moreover, the aim of the conducted contrastive analysis has been to determine overlaps in order to use the examples of positive transfer in teaching lexis (English/Italian – L2), as well as to prevent negative interference such as false analogies. The research is based on the assumption that the number of completely concordant collocations taught in the early stages of foreign language acquisition is limited. Thus, prompt detection and putting emphasis on their relevance is essential. Following the discussion of the results of the contrastive analysis, the relevance of teaching collocations, i.e. presenting the most common collocations simultaneously with new vocabulary will be stressed. In accordance with the above­mentioned, we believe that collocational approach is the most useful and effective in teaching languages.

scholarly journals Semantic Constraints on Light Verb Constructions in Modern Irish

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 67-88
Author(s):  
Maria Bloch-Trojnar ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Verb Classes ◽  
Light Verbs ◽  
Semantic Constraints ◽  
Verbal Noun ◽  
Light Verb Constructions ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
Verb Constructions ◽  
Systematic Behavior ◽  
Semantic Verb Classes

The paper focuses on the semantics of Light Verb Constructions (LVCs) in Modern Irish. Structures made up of a light verb (déan ‘do’, tabhair ‘give’, faigh ‘get’, bain ‘take, extract’) and a verbal noun (VN) complement are investigated. LVCs are argued to have a telicising effect which results from the interaction of the aktionsart of the VN complement and syntax. Particular light verbs show systematic behavior in their ability to combine with VNs derived from certain semantic verb classes (verbs of movement, emission of sound, social interaction etc.) in order to present the situation from different angles by giving prominence to certain participants (Agent, Patient, Experiencer). The choice of a specific light verb may also lead to a subtle semantic modification such as volitionality.

scholarly journals Type hierarchies for passive forms in Korean

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanghoun Song ◽  
Jae-Woong Choe
Keyword(s):  
Verbal Nouns ◽  
Light Verbs ◽  
Light Verb Constructions ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
Verb Constructions

This paper aims to provide type hierarchies for Korean passive constructions on the basis of their forms within the HPSG framework. The type hierarchies proposed in this paper are based on the classification of Korean passives; suffixal passives, auxiliary passives, inherent passives, and passive light verb constructions. Verbs are divided into five subtypes in accordance with the possibility of passivization. We also provide type hierarchies for verbal nouns and passive light verbs.

The role of determiners in Spanish light verb constructions

WORD ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 178-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Begoña Sanromán Vilas
Keyword(s):  
Light Verb Constructions ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
Verb Constructions

A Diachronic Analysis of Light Verb Constructions in Old Swedish

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 260-306
Author(s):  
John D. Sundquist
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Light Verb Constructions ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
Verb Constructions ◽  
Old Swedish ◽  
Diachronic Analysis

This study provides an empirical analysis of light verb constructions in Old Swedish. These constructions contain a semantically light verb, such as giva ‘give’ or göra ‘make’, that may be paired with an abstract nominal object, as in giva radh ‘give advice’ or giva hiälp ‘give help’. Using a corpus of nine Old Swedish texts written in the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries, I track the frequency of light verb constructions and analyze the range of transitive light verb + object pairings. I consider the effects of time, genre, and the type of modification to the nominal object in the quantitative analysis. The results contribute to ongoing discussions in crosslinguistic, diachronic research on the reasons for the increase in frequency of light verb constructions as well as the possibility that this construction exhibits characteristics of grammaticalization or lexicalization.

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