Object functions and the syntax of double object constructions in lexical functional grammar
It has long been observed that, in a double object constructions (DOC), the two objects exhibit different syntactic behaviour. In Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG), these two objects are characterized as two distinct grammatical functions. The object that syntactically patterns with the monotransitive object is the unrestricted object OBJ. The one that does not is the restricted object OBJÎž. The goals of this dissertation are to investigate the syntax of DOCs, and to explore the two object functions in LFG. When thinking about DOCs, the verb that almost invariably comes to mind is GIVE. This verb, however, may not be as prototypical as is commonly assumed. In Cantonese, it is the only verb whose objects are in an anomalous order, with the object that bears the theme role preceding the object which expresses the recipient role. Cantonese as a language does not uniformly have the direct (theme) object preceding the indirect (recipient) object. Other than the difference in their linear order, the objects in the GIVE-construction pattern with those in all other DOCs in the language. In some languages, there is a possibility of having more objects than is required by the underived form of a verb. An additional
Lam, Shi-Ching Olivia
Linguistics ; East Asian languages ; Chinese ; Other languages ; syntax ; object ; double object constructions ; Lexical-functional grammar
Object functions and the syntax of double object constructions in lexical functional grammar. It has long been observed that, in a double object constructions (DOC), the two objects exhibit different syntactic behaviour. In Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG), these two objects are characterized as two distinct grammatical functions. The object that syntactically patterns with the monotransitive object is the unrestricted object OBJ. The one that does not is the restricted object OBJÎž. The goals of this dissertation are to investigate the syntax of DOCs, and to explore the two object functions in LFG. When thinking about DOCs, the verb that almost invariably comes to mind is GIVE. This verb, however, may not be as prototypical as is commonly assumed. In Cantonese, it is the only verb whose objects are in an anomalous order, with the object that bears the theme role preceding the object which expresses the recipient role. Cantonese as a language does not uniformly have the direct (theme) object preceding the indirect (recipient) object. Other than the difference in their linear order, the objects in the GIVE-construction pattern with those in all other DOCs in the language. In some languages, there is a possibility of having more objects than is required by the underived form of a verb. An additional
object function syntax double object construction lexical_functional grammar long observe double object construction object exhibit different syntactic_behaviour lexical_functional grammar lfg object characterize two_distinct grammatical_function object syntactically pattern object unrestricted object restrict object goal_investigate syntax explore object function lfg think verb almost invariably come mind give verb however may prototypical commonly_assume cantonese verb whose object anomalous order object bear theme role precede object express recipient role cantonese language uniformly direct theme object precede indirect recipient object difference linear_order object give construction pattern language language possibility object require form verb additional