Subcategories 3: T ransitivity

1. Subcategories 3: Transitivity Lec. 6

2. Objectives • Understand the notions of argument structure, predicates & arguments • Be able to identify subcategories of verbs based on the number & type of arguments they take (i.e. valency of transitivity) • represent these subcategories with features Like nouns, we will see the subcategorization of verbs; the number of nouns they take as obligatory companions.

3. 1. Arguments vs. Adjuncts • A predicate expresses a relation between individuals in the world (which can be abstract). The entities involved in the predicate are known as the arguments. • E.g. Calvin ate the stinky tuna The Predicate: ate The Arguments: Calvin + the stinky tuna

4. 1. Arguments vs. Adjuncts • Predicates are typically verbs (verbal predicates), but they can also involve other parts of speech. • Arguments can be nouns or determiners with nouns • E.g. Calvin ate the stinky tuna The Predicate: ate The Arguments: Calvin + the stinky tuna

5. 1. Arguments vs. Adjuncts • We will call all of these structures (arguments) Determiner Phrases or DPs. • Arguments can also be nouns and related structures marked with a preposition, which we will call Prepositional Phrases or PPs. • E.g. Andrew sent a package to Dan The Predicate: The DP argument: The PP argument:

6. 1. Arguments vs. Adjuncts • We can also find cases where embedded clauses (sentences inside sentences), which we will call Complementizer Phrases or CPs, serve as arguments: • E.g. I thought [CP that Calvin ate the stinky tuna]. The Predicate: The Complementizer Phrase or CP:

7. 1. Arguments vs. Adjuncts • Please remember that • DPs: the group of words associated with nouns • PPs: the group of words associated with a preposition at the front • CPs: are clauses (essentially embedded sentences)

8. 1. Arguments vs. Adjuncts • Arguments only include the elements that are necessary for completing the meaning of the verb • Any additional DPs or PPs are called adjuncts

9. 1. Arguments vs. Adjuncts

10. 1. Argument vs. Adjuncts • Being obligatory is a good guide to whether an element is an argument or an adjunct • But remember ! • Calvin ate the tuna. • Calvin ate.

11. Exercise 1

12. 2. Argument structure: Transitivity • One traditional way to subcategorize verbs is to make reference to the number of arguments that they take (verb’s valency). A verb that takes one argument is said to be intransitive;those that take two are transitive, and those that take three are ditransitive.

13. Exercise 2 • Go back to exercise 1 and identify if the following verbs are intransitive, transitive, or ditransitivebased on the sentences given. Note that adjuncts do not count in determining transitivity: • Smile ………………………………………………………………… • Kiss ………………………………………………………………… • Hit ………………………………………………………………… • Pass …………………………………………………………………

14. 2. Argument structure: Transitivity • We need to distinguish verbs like ask, which allow either a DP (a determiner phrase) or a CP (a clause) as one of its arguments, from a verb like hit, which requires that the argument that follows be a DP and never a CP. • E.g. • I asked [DP the question] • I asked [CP if you knew the answer] • I hit [DP the ball] • * I hit [CP that you knew the answer]

15. 2. Argument structure: Transitivity • We will distinguish external arguments from internal arguments: • External Feature: typically the subject, or the noun that comes before the verb • Internal Feature: they come after the verb, i.e. direct & indirect objects • Both INTERNAL & EXTERNAL features are values of the SUBCAT feature

16. Example i • The verb laugh requires that its subject be capable of laughing. This is only possible when • the subject is + animate • The subject argument of laugh must be a DP • The external arguments are placed between { }

17. Laugh • Laugh CATEGORY V SUBCAT EXTERNALDP + animate

18. Example ii • The verb bother can take either a DP or a CP as EXTERNAL properties, but it does not take a PP • [DP Undercooked beef waffles] bother John • [CP That Susan baked her beef waffles] bothers John • * [PP With butter and jam] bother John • */# The undercooked beef waffles bother [the stone] • * The undercooked beef waffles bother [CP that the man left]

19. Bother • Bother CATEGORY V SUBCAT EXTERNAL { DP/ CP } ENTERNAL DP + animate

20. Example iii Ditransitive verbs take two internal arguments • The verb put takes 2 internal arguments • The internal arguments are placed between < > which indicates an ordering • The verb put takes the following arguments < DP, PP> e.g. • I put [DP the book] [PP on the table] • * I put [DP the book] [DP the table]

21. put • Put CATEGORY V SUBCAT EXTERNALDP + animate ENTERNAL < DP, PP>

22. Example iv • The verb give allows more than one possible order: • I gave the book to Chris • I gave Chris the book

23. Give • Give CATEGORY V SUBCAT EXTERNALDP + animate ENTERNAL{ < DP, PP > } {< DP, DP > }

24. Exercise i Arrive • I arrived • * [PP to the store] arrived • * [ CP that Calvin sang] arrived • * I arrived [DP the package] • * I arrived [CP that Calvin sang] Please remember Ignore PPs in sentences like I arrived at the station, because they are adjuncts

25. Exercise i • Arrive CATEGORY V SUBCAT EXTERNALDP

26. Exercise II Rub • * I rub • I rubbed [DP the genie’s Lamp] • * I rubbed [PP to the genie] • *I rubbed [CP that Calvin sang]

27. Exercise ii • rub CATEGORY V SUBCAT EXTERNALDP + animate ENTERNAL DP

28. Exercise III • Kiss • I kissed [DP the policewoman] • *I kissed [PP to the policewoman] • *I kissed that Calvin sang • *The store kissed the policewoman • I kissed the stone • I kissed water • *To me kissed the policewoman • *That Calvin sang kissed the policewoman

29. kiss • kiss CATEGORY V SUBCAT EXTERNALDP + animate ENTERNALDP CP

30. Exercise iv • Kill • *I kill • I killed [DP the policeman] • * I killed [PP to the policeman] • * I killed [CP that Calvin sang] • The stone killed the policeman • * I killed the stone • * I killed the water • * [PP to me] killed the policeman • * [CP That Calvin sang] killed the policeman

31. KILL • Kill CATEGORY V SUBCAT EXTERNALDP ENTERNAL DP + animate

32. Exercise v • Ask (transitive usage only) • I asked [DP the question] • I asked [CP if you knew the answer] • * The stone asked the question • * [PP To me] asked the question • * [CP That Calvin sang] asked the question

33. Ask • Ask CATEGORY V SUBCAT EXTERNALDP + animate ENTERNAL{ DP } { CP }

34. Exercise VI • Think • I thought [DP the answer] • I thought [CP that you knew the answer] • The stone though the answer • [PP from me] thought the answer • [CP that Calvin sang] thought the answer

35. Think Think CATEGORY V SUBCAT EXTERNALDP + animate ENTERNAL{ DP } { CP }

36. EXERCISE VIi • Tell (ditransitive usage only) • I told [DP Daniel] [DP the story] • I told [DP Daniel] [CP that the exam was cancelled] • I told [DP the story] [PP to Daniel] • * I told [PP to Daniel] [DP the story] • * I told [CP that the exam was cancelled] [DP Daniel] • * I told [DP the story] [DP Danile]

37. TELL Tell CATEGORY V SUBCAT EXTERNALDP ENTERNAL{ < DP, PP > } { < DP, DP > } { < DP, CP > }

38. Home work • Figure out the INTERNAL & EXTERNAL features for the verbs send & spray