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Psych-verbs, exhibiting a wide range of construction types, challenge the assumption that verbs sharing the same theta-grid and event structure select the same case patterns. Consequently, previous research has tried to trace back the constructional variants of these verbs to differences in deep syntactic or semantic (event- or causal) structure. However, in German a construction type may exhibit semantically distinct subclasses, and a semantic subclass may have different syntactic realizations. Thus, it is difficult to find general linking patterns of psych-verbs. On the other hand, it is characteristic of psych-verbs to have non-psych-readings as well. We argue that these readings determine case selection. In the centre of our argumentation is the principle of Lexical Economy according to which entries in the mental lexicon are as simple as possible. The case frame must be compatible with all readings of the verb. Thus, the reading with the strongest thematic distinctiveness of each argument is crucial for case selection, typically a reading with a volitional agent and a strongly affected patient. Such readings impose stronger restrictions on case selection than psych-readings. The linking theory of our approach is based on Dowty’s theory of proto-roles (1991) and its modification and implementation in Optimality Theory in Primus (2002).
Psych-verbs have been a touch-stone to linking-theories, which assume that case selection is determined by thematic roles. Though psych-verbs share the same thematic grid (experiencer and stimulus), they show different case frames. Different syntactic (structural) and semantic (event- or causal structure) approaches exist, but at least in German we will show that none of the several approaches to psych-verbs cover all differences and similarities of the several formal classes of psych-verbs in that language. In this paper we argue that the case selection of psych-verbs does not depend on their psychical reading at all. While Functional Expressivity requires that different thematic roles are expressed by different forms, Lexical Economy states that lexical entries should be minimally, i.e. verbs should only provide one case frame. Thus, the case frame of a verb must be compatible to the thematic requirements of all readings of this verb. Researchers paid little attention to the fact that polysemy is characteristic for psych-verbs. Psychverbs have (or have had) other, more specific readings, as well, and occasional psychical readings are possible for most verbs. According to the proto-role approach of Dowty (1991) and its modifications by Primus (1999b, 2002a, 2002b, 2002c), case selection is determined by the grade of agentivity or patientivity of arguments. Concrete readings have stronger agents and patients and make therefore stronger restrictions to case selection, and the psychical reading of a verb is always compatible with this reading. Thus, the case selection of psych-verbs is not affected by its psychical reading.
This paper deals with the constructional variation of emotion predicates in Estonian. It gives an overview on the constructional types, including information of their quantitative distribution. It is shown that one characteristic of Estonian is the formation of pairs of converses, i.e. pairs of emotion verbs, which have the same emotion semantics but different argument realisation patterns. These converses are based on derivational morphology such as the causative morphem –ta ‘CAUS’. Causative derivation has been adduced in the theoretical literature as support for the assumption that the cross-linguistically wide-spread constructional variation in emotion predicates has its origin in a difference of the causal structure in the verbal semantics. This paper shows that the data of Estonian contradicts this assumption.
This essay is concerned with the event structure of verbs of communication. Some verbs of communication cannot easily be classified as belonging to a particular type of event structure, while others are basically Activity predicates. We show that this difference with respect to event structure depends on the lexicalization of speaker attitudes. Those verbs of communication which do not express any particular speaker attitude can be assigned an Activity event structure, which can then be expanded to yield an Accomplishment. However, genuine speech act verbs, i. e. verbs which are specified with respect to speaker attitudes, do not correspond to any event structure type and do not allow a similar expansion of their argument structure.
Der Aufsatz befasst sich mit den Besonderheiten der Struktur, der Funktion, der Selektion und des Gebrauchs von Subjektsätzen im Deutschen und Rumänischen. Am Beispiel der Argumentrealisierung bei Psych-Verben wird erkundet, inwiefern sprachübergreifende semantische Bedingungen diese Besonderheiten erklären und in welchem Maße sie von einzelsprachlichen und lexikalischen Besonderheiten gesteuert sind. Im Fokus der Studie stehen dabei (i) die Einordnung des Deutschen und des Rumänischen hinsichtlich der zu beobachtenden typologischen Varianz bei Subjektsätzen, (ii) die Besonderheiten der Aufteilung von Argumenten von Psych-Verben auf zwei Satzglieder durch Argumentdoppelung und Argumentspaltung und (iii) die Ermittlung verbidiosynkratischer, sprachspezifischer und sprachübergreifender Präferenzen bei der Realisierung der Argumente von Psych-Verben über eine quantitative Korpusstudie.
The paper explores how verbs like helfen "help" should be treated within event semantics. These verbs allow both agentive NP-subjects and sentential CP-subjects. Their behavior with respect to adverbial modification reveals that in their agentive variant these verbs refer to events, while in their sentential variant they refer to states. The meaning that sentential helfen conveys is that the beneficiary is in a good disposition and that this state is brought about by what is expressed by the sentential subject. This involves a kind of subjective value statement about what is good for the beneficiary and what is not. The relation of "bringing about" involved here is not mainly one of causal dependence - lacking the typical denseness of causal chains - but one that involves supervenience. Supervenience, a notion widely used in moral theory and philosophy of the mind, allows accounting for the dependence of the rather subjective nature of the resultant state of helfen on particular events which occur in the world. The agentive variant of helfen is derived by embedding the meaning of sentential helfen into an event description.