Path verbs of motion in Swatawwe serial verb constructions
Abstract
The primary goal of this thesis is to establish a syntactic representation for Path Serial Verb Constructions (PSVCs) in Suan1tao 5Uê7 (SwaTawWe, Chaoshan) within the framework of Generative Grammar. In it, I contend that the underlying representation for PSVCs in Suan1tao5Uê7 is a complementation structure based on the positive outcome of two syntactic tests: reflexive binding and quantifier licensing. In light of Benedicto and Salomón's (2012) syntactic analysis on motion events in Mayangna based on three-dimensional space, I classify the path verbs in Suan1tao 5Uê7 into four categories: vertical, horizontal, deictic, and orientation of the figure. According to the patterns of path verbs in PSVCs, these four categories constitute three embedded layers of a complex VP in the complementation structure with the predictable hierarchical order of VP[orientation], VP[directional], and VP [endpoint]. Within the VP[directional], the V[vertical] and V[horizontal] are in complementary distribution and form a path V-V compound with V[deictic]. I also show that the telicity of the PSVCs is represented by VP[endpoint] at the bottom of the hierarchy. This structural hierarchy order operates to constrain word combinations and predict word order for path verbs of motion expressions.
Degree
M.A.
Advisors
Benedicto, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Linguistics
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