A causal approach to transitivity
The present thesis presents a causal approach to transitivity and proposes a model of transitivity based on the view that a single event is a single âcausal impactâ, which consists of a single causation and a single effect. It defines semantic intransitivity as events where the effect is borne by and expressed through the actor and semantic transitivity as events where the effect is borne by and expressed through the patient. It finds evidence for this definition in the phenomenon of âselective specificationâ of action or result by verbs with actor and patient. Furthermore, it proposes that the verb eat has dual event structures, intransitive and transitive, and uses a Web data test to test and confirm this hypothesis.
Eu, Jinseung
Linguistics ; transitivity ; causality ; event individuation ; Web data ; object omission
A causal approach to transitivity. The present thesis presents a causal approach to transitivity and proposes a model of transitivity based on the view that a single event is a single âcausal impactâ, which consists of a single causation and a single effect. It defines semantic intransitivity as events where the effect is borne by and expressed through the actor and semantic transitivity as events where the effect is borne by and expressed through the patient. It finds evidence for this definition in the phenomenon of âselective specificationâ of action or result by verbs with actor and patient. Furthermore, it proposes that the verb eat has dual event structures, intransitive and transitive, and uses a Web data test to test and confirm this hypothesis.
causal transitivity present present causal transitivity propose_model transitivity base view single_event single causal impact consist single causation single effect defines semantic event effect borne express actor semantic transitivity event effect borne express patient find evidence definition phenomenon selective specification action verbs actor patient furthermore propose verb eat dual event_structure intransitive transitive use web data test test confirm hypothesis