Author(s): Mai Tungseth
Journal: Nordlyd : Tromsø university working papers on language & linguistics / Institutt for språk og litteratur, Universitetet i Tromsø
ISSN 0332-7531
Volume: 31;
Issue: 2;
Start page: 473;
Date: 2003;
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Keywords: Motion Constructions | Locative PPs | Directional PPs | Syntactic Structure | Argument Structure | Functional Projections | Norwegian Language
ABSTRACT
This paper discusses two types of constructions in Norwegian where a combination of a verb of motion and a prepositional phrase are ambiguous between a reading of directed motion and a reading of located motion. Based on the differences in the syntactic behaviour of the two types of constructions with respect to a variety of tests (viz. VP constituency tests, adverbial placement, accent placement and the binding of anaphora), I argue that the two different readings have different argument structures and syntactic structures. On the directed motion reading, the PP appears low down in the verb phrase as complement to a functional head Path0, where it is interpreted as endpoint. Locative PPs, however, appear higher up in the structure as a verb phrase adjunct.
Journal: Nordlyd : Tromsø university working papers on language & linguistics / Institutt for språk og litteratur, Universitetet i Tromsø
ISSN 0332-7531
Volume: 31;
Issue: 2;
Start page: 473;
Date: 2003;
VIEW PDF
DOWNLOAD PDF Original pageKeywords: Motion Constructions | Locative PPs | Directional PPs | Syntactic Structure | Argument Structure | Functional Projections | Norwegian Language
ABSTRACT
This paper discusses two types of constructions in Norwegian where a combination of a verb of motion and a prepositional phrase are ambiguous between a reading of directed motion and a reading of located motion. Based on the differences in the syntactic behaviour of the two types of constructions with respect to a variety of tests (viz. VP constituency tests, adverbial placement, accent placement and the binding of anaphora), I argue that the two different readings have different argument structures and syntactic structures. On the directed motion reading, the PP appears low down in the verb phrase as complement to a functional head Path0, where it is interpreted as endpoint. Locative PPs, however, appear higher up in the structure as a verb phrase adjunct.
