Middle English verbs of emotion and impersonal constructions : a diachronic study of the syntax-semantics interface
This thesis investigates the under-discussed question of why certain verbs are attested in impersonal constructions in the history of English while others are not, even though they look almost synonymous (e.g. LIKE and LOATHE: impersonal; LOVE and HATE: non-impersonal). By carefully studying the behaviour of impersonal verbs and near-synonymous non-impersonal verbs, this thesis attempts to identify factors that determined the presence, absence and spread of impersonal usage with Middle English verbs of emotion and demonstrates that we can make reasonable generalisations about when the usage was licensed. The first chapter provides an overview of previous studies, with special reference to different syntactic-semantic definitions and classifications of 'impersonals'. The next chapter considers possible methodological approaches for this thesis by reviewing several case studies of near-synonymous verbs in early English. It also discusses causation and aspect, two of the crucial concepts in the literature on psych-verbs in modern languages. The third chapter introduces the _Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary_, whose categorisations were adopted in this thesis. On the basis of the definitions
Miura, Ayumi
Middle English verbs of emotion and impersonal constructions : a diachronic study of the syntax-semantics interface. This thesis investigates the under-discussed question of why certain verbs are attested in impersonal constructions in the history of English while others are not, even though they look almost synonymous (e.g. LIKE and LOATHE: impersonal; LOVE and HATE: non-impersonal). By carefully studying the behaviour of impersonal verbs and near-synonymous non-impersonal verbs, this thesis attempts to identify factors that determined the presence, absence and spread of impersonal usage with Middle English verbs of emotion and demonstrates that we can make reasonable generalisations about when the usage was licensed. The first chapter provides an overview of previous studies, with special reference to different syntactic-semantic definitions and classifications of 'impersonals'. The next chapter considers possible methodological approaches for this thesis by reviewing several case studies of near-synonymous verbs in early English. It also discusses causation and aspect, two of the crucial concepts in the literature on psych-verbs in modern languages. The third chapter introduces the _Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary_, whose categorisations were adopted in this thesis. On the basis of the definitions
middle_english verb emotion impersonal construction diachronic_study syntax_semantics interface investigates under discussed question certain verb attest impersonal construction history_english others even_though look almost synonymous like impersonal love non impersonal carefully study behaviour impersonal verb near synonymous non impersonal verb attempt_identify factor_determine presence_absence spread impersonal usage middle_english verb emotion demonstrates make reasonable generalisation usage license first provide_overview previous_study special_reference different syntactic_semantic definition classification next considers possible methodological_approach review several case_study near synonymous verb early english also_discuss causation aspect crucial concept literature verbs modern_language third introduces historical_thesaurus oxford english dictionary whose categorisation adopt thesis basis definition