GPS12. SUBCATEGORIES OF VERBS
[Application of Knowledge; Intermediate]
For each of the verbs below, list whether it is intransitive, transitive or ditransitive and list which features it takes (see the list in (32) as an example). In some cases they may allow more than one feature (e.g., the verb eat is both [NP NP] and [NP]). Give an example for each feature:
spray, sleep, escape, throw, wipe, say, think, begrudge (or grudge), thank, pour, send, promise, kiss, arrive
CHALLENGE PROBLEM SETS
CPS1. -IAN AND -ISH
[Critical and Creative Thinking; Challenge]
In the text we claimed that the suffixes -ian and -ish mark adjectives. Consider the following sentences:
1 The Canadian government uses a parliamentary system of democracy.
2 The Canadian bought herself a barbeque.
3 The prudish linguist didn’t enjoy looking at the internet.
4 We keep those censored copies of the book hidden to protect the sensibilities of the prudish.
What should we make the words ending in -ish and -ian in sentences (b) and (d)? Are they adjectives? If not, how can we account for the fact that these words end in -ish and - ian? There are many possible answers to this question.
CPS2. NOMINAL PRENOMINAL MODIFIERS 15
[Critical and Creative Thinking; Challenge]
Part 1: By the syntactic distributional criteria given to you in the text, what part of speech should the underlined words in the following examples be?
1 the leather couch
2 the water spout
Part 2: By contrast, what do the following facts tell us about the parts of speech of leather
and water?
1 the leather
2 the water
3 ?the very leather couch (cf. the very red couch)
4 ?the very water spout (cf. the very big spout)
5 *The more leather couch/*The leatherer couch (cf. the bigger couch)
6 *The more water spout
7 *The waterest spout
CPS3. MOHAWK INCORPORATION 16
[Data Analysis; Challenge]
Part 1: Consider the following sentence from Mohawk, an Iroquoian language of North America. Based on this very limited data what parts of speech are rak and ’neróhkw
1) Ka-rak-ʌ́-hne’ thíkʌ o-’neróhkw-a’.
NEUT-be.white-PRES-STAT that NEUT-box-NOMINALIZER
“That box is white.”
(NEUT stands for Neuter gender, PRES stands for present tense; STAT stands for stative aspect. Gender typically appears on nouns but can also appear on verbs, tense and aspect typically appear on verbs.)
Part 2: Now consider this sentence where the morpheme meaning box has been “incorporated” into the same word as rak. This is a common morphological process in the language (see chapter 18 for more details on this phenomenon)
2) Ka-’neróhkwa-rak-ʌ́-hne’ thíkʌ.
NEUT-box-be.white-PRES-STAT that
“That box is white.”
What part of speech is ’neróhkwa in this sentence? Does it even make sense to talk about this word having a part of speech? Why or why not? Explain your answer.
CPS4: INTENSIFIERS
[Application of Knowledge; Challenge]
English has a subcategory of adverbs called intensifiers. This class includes very, rather, too (when used before an adjective), quite, less, nearly, partly, fully, mostly, and sometimes.
Question 1: Is this subcategory an open class part of speech or a closed class part of speech? Explain your answer.
Question 2: Describe the distribution of this subcategory. In particular describe where it can appear relative to other adverbs (and adjectives). Can other adverbs appear in this environment?
CPS5. COMPLEMENTARY DISTRIBUTION
[Critical Thinking; Challenge]
In a grey textbox in section 2.4, it’s argued that adjectives and adverbs are in complementary distribution and thus might be part of the same super-category A. Are N and V in complementary distribution? What about Adv and V? What about N and Adj? Create examples to show whether these categories are in complementary distribution. If any are in complementary distribution with the others what does this tell us about the parts of speech? Next consider whether any functional categories are in complementary distribution with lexical categories.
CPS6. SUBCATEGORIES OF ADVERBS
[Application of Skills and Knowledge; Challenge]
Your goal in this problem set is to develop a set of subcategories for adverbs. Consider the following adverbs. When doing these tests don’t put any extra stress or focus on the adverb – try to say the sentence naturally without emphasizing the adverbs. Also, don’t put extra pauses before or after any of the adverbs.
luckily, earnestly, intently, hopefully, probably, certainly, frequently, patiently, always, completely, almost, again, evidently, frankly, demandingly, yesterday, necessarily
