the english middle 2015 in a nutshell(1)
DESCRIPTION
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Introduction
SYNTAX II
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Organization
1. Middles
2. Negative sentences
3. That-complement clauses
4. Gerund constructions
5. Participial constructions
6. Infinitival constructions
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Grading policy
Mid-term test: 50%
Final test: 50%
Seminar attendance:
at least 70% ( = 5 seminars)
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Bibliography
Lecture notes
Avram, L. 2006 English Syntax. The Structure of Root Clauses . Oscar Print. Chapters 1,2 and 6.
Cornilescu, A. 2003. Complementation in English. EUB. Chapters: That-clauses, Gerund clauses, Infinitive clauses
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THE ENGLISH MIDDLE
MAIN PROPERTIES
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The data
(1) a. I melted the butter.
b. This butter melts easily.
(2) a. John cut the meat.
b. This meat cuts with difficulty.
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The data
(3) a. The man scared the rabbit.
b. Rabbits scare easily.
(4) a. I read this book.
b. Such books read easily.
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The data
Middles:
active form
passive meaning
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The data
the same properties as passives
but lack any morphological marker
activo-passive constructions
mediopassives
middles
middle voice structures
passivals.
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The data
(1) a. I melted the butter.
AGENT PATIENT
DP1 DP2
SUBJECT DIRECT OBJECT
= transitive frame
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The data
(1) b. This butter melts easily.
PATIENT
SUBJECT
= intransitive frame
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The data
Middle formation = no morphological operation
Middle formation = a change in the manner in
which the arguments of the verb are projected:
Transitive frame: DP1 V DP2
Middle: DP2 V
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The argument structure of middles
Crystal breaks at the slightest touch.
Patient
the Agent: people in general / one
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The argument structure of middles
Crystal breaks at the slightest touch
One breaks crystal at the slightest touch.
People break crystal at the slightest touch.
an understood subject /an implicit argument
an arbitrary, non-specific, generic reading.
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The argument structure of middles
the Agent is phonologically null but
semantically present.
The baggage transfers easily.
This wine drinks well.
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The argument structure of middles
How do we interpret the role of the subject NP?
This cheese cuts easily.
= this cheese has the necessary properties that allow it to cut easily
The patient-subject construction [] is used when we want to say that the patient of the action is to some extent acting as agent .
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The argument structure of middles
Silk dresses wash easily.
= silk dresses are ...
Bread always cuts smoothly.
= bread has the necessary property...
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The argument structure of middles
Tequila drinks with difficulty.
= tequila is...
Foreign cars sell easily.
=foreign cars have the property...
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The argument structure of middles
I dont photograph very well.
= I am not very photogenic.
These people discourage easily and they may
become despondent.
= these people ...
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The argument structure of middles
*A spouses infidelity does not handle easily.
*The fact that ones wife may leave does not handle easily.
Q: why are these Ss ungrammatical?
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The argument structure of middles
*A spouses infidelity does not handle easily.
cannot be interpreted as responsible for the event
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The argument structure of middles
*The fact that ones wife may leave does not handle easily.
cannot be interpreted as responsible for the event
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The argument structure of middles
the overt argument of middles
refers to a concrete entity
non-Agent
responsible for the event denoted by the verb
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The argument structure of middles
the Agent of middles
phonologically null but semantically active
generic reading: people in general/one.
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Middles and genericity
Middles:
= non-eventive, generic statements, i.e.
they lack specific time reference
they are often incompatible with (specific) time adverbials
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Middles and genericity
a. ?Yesterday, the mayor bribed easily,
according to the newspaper.
b. ?At yesterdays house party, the kitchen wall painted easily.
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
Ulysses does not translate easily.
Make sure address reads through window.
This coat buttons from its neck to the knee-length.
middles generally require an adverbial which modifies the predicate
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
*This books reads.
* These clothes hang.
* Students bore.
The absence of such a modifier may lead to ungrammaticality
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
BUT:
This dress buttons.
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
These bureaucrats BRIBE.
Well, the car WILL steer after all.
prosodically marked
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
Wet wool doesnt plait.
This dress wont fasten.
Negation
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
Boy did that mountain climb!
Emphatic DO
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
This book could sell.
Poetry cant translate.
Modal
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
Middles without an adverbial modifier
are acceptable if
they contain a modal verb
they contain emphatic do
they are negated
they are prosodically marked.
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
only certain adverbs are compatible with middles
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
completely, easily, totally
He completely missed his aim.
He missed his aim completely.
They modify the predicate, i.e. they are VP modifiers.
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
evidently, probably, possibly
clausal modifiers
He probably missed the train.
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
This book reads easily.
*Bureaucrats bribe evidently.
only adverbials which are VP modifiers are allowed in middles
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
Q: all VP modifying adverbials?
*The novel sells proudly.
*Polyester cleans carefully.
*The book sold voluntarily.
can be interpreted as (exclusively) Agent-
oriented
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
the modifier cannot be an
(exclusively) Agent-oriented adverb.
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Middles and Adverbial modifiers
The Adverbial
must be a VP-modifier
cannot be an (exclusively) Agent-
oriented adverb
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The domain
*This instruction follows easily.
*Mice chase with difficulty.
*Truth doesnt tell easily.
not all transitive verbs can enter the middle alternation.
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The domain
The Affectedness Constraint
only verbs with an affected argument can
form middles.
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The domain
cut verbs
clip
cut
saw
scratch
This log saws with difficulty.
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The domain
tape verbs
Glue Handcuff
Paste Seal
Tape Zip
This dress zips up.
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The domain
verba dicendi
Say
Tell
Admit
*White lies tell easily.
*Such things do not admit easily.
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The domain
perception verbs
See
Feel
Hear
Smell
Taste
* Beautiful houses see from a distance.
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The domain
judgement verbs
acclaim
applaud
bless
praise
criticize
*Students praise easily.
*Teachers criticize easily.
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The domain
psych verbs with Experiencer subject: forget
admire
miss
hate
pity
dread
*Birthdays forget easily.
*Paintings admire easily.
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The domain
BUT
*Teachers poison easily.
*Politicians murder easily.
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The domain
This book reads fast.
Mary photographs easily.
This car drives smoothly.
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The domain
the Affectedness Constraint cannot account
for all the range of acceptable/unacceptable
middles
Q: HOW can we account for the data?
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The domain
A: Only activities and accomplishments can occur in middles
*Politicians hate easily.
*Mistakes notice fast.
This car drives smoothly.
This pipe smokes nicely.
This box assembles in seconds
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The domain
BUT:
*This picture draws well.
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The domain
The verbs which can be used in middles:
must be transitive verbs with an internal affected argument
must be activities or accomplishments
their internal argument (+ affected) must be perceived as responsible for the state of affairs the sentence refers to.
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Task: is the S below grammatical?
Eggs mix well with sugar.
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Task
Grammatical
Mix= verb with an affected argument
= activity
= the subject can be responsible for
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Task
The Mona Lisa sees well in Paris.
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Task
*The Mona Lisa sees well in Paris.
verb of perception
argument = not affected
the subject cannot be responsible for
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Task
Stray dogs spot fast.
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Task
*Stray dogs spot fast.
= the argument is not affected
= spot is an achievement
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Task
That cheese grates well.
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Task
= grammatical
Grate = Activity
= affected argument
= the subject can be responsible for
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Task
This cream wears well during the day.
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Task
This cream wears well during the day.
= OK
Wear = activity
The cream = + responsible
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Task
The wall paints easily.
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Task
The wall paints easily.
= OK
Paint the wall = accomplishment
The wall: + responsible
The wall : + affected.
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Task
At yesterdays house party, the kitchen wall painted easily.
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Task
?? At yesterdays house party, the kitchen wall painted easily.
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Task
This mare washes, saddles and bridles with
no trouble.
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Task
This mare washes, saddles and bridles with
no trouble.
= OK
wash/saddle/bridle = activity/accomplishment
This mare = + responsible
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Task
These burgers cook.
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Task
?? These burgers cook.
= no modifier
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Task
These chairs fold up.
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Task
These chairs fold up.
= OK
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Task
This dress zips up, that one buttons,
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Task
This dress zips up, that one buttons.
= OK
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Task
I thought we were out of gas, but the car
DRIVES!
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Task
I thought we were out of gas, but the car
DRIVES!
= OK
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Task
This book sells.
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Task
??? This book sells.
= no modifier.
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Task
This book will never sell.
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Task
This book will never sell.
= OK
No modifier but... NEG
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Task
These mosaics do not see very well.
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Task
* These mosaics do not see very well.
See = not-affected
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Task
His lectures understand easily.
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Task
* His lectures understand easily.
understand = state predicate. Not affected
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Task
LEC lectures remember painfully.
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Task
* LEC lectures remember painfully.
Remember = [- affected]
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Task
These tomatoes peel easily.
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Task
These tomatoes peel easily.
= OK
Peel these tomatoes= accomplishment
Tomatoes: + responsible
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Task
This ice cream scoops out quite easily.
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Task
This ice cream scoops out quite easily.
= OK
Scoop out ice cream = activity
+ modifier
This ice cream = + responsible
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Middles
The End