[Lingtyp] actionality and transitivity

[Juergen Bohnemeyer]

Dear Sergey – The first such synthesis was attempted by Dowty (1979). But Dowty’s approach proved flawed in several ways. Thus (from memory), he assumed that all state change descriptions are telic, ignoring the problem of ‘degree achievements’ such as _grow_ and _ascend_ or _rise_, and that all accomplishments are causative, etc. These problems are discussed and addressed in Van Valin & LaPolla (1997). Cf. also Bohnemeyer (2004) for further discussion and an independent approach. – Best – Juergen

Bohnemeyer, J. (2004). Split intransitivity, linking, and lexical representation: the case of Yukatek Maya. Linguistics 42(1): 67-107.
Dowty, D. (1979). Word meaning and Montague Grammar. Dordrecht: Reidel.
Van Valin, R. D., Jr. & R. J. LaPolla. (1997). Syntax: Structure, meaning and function. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.


Juergen Bohnemeyer (He/Him)
Professor, Department of Linguistics
University at Buffalo

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From: Lingtyp <lingtyp-bounces at listserv.linguistlist.org> on behalf of Sergey Loesov via Lingtyp <lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org>
Date: Monday, October 21, 2024 at 11:56
To: LINGTYP at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG <lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org>
Subject: [Lingtyp] actionality and transitivity
Dear colleagues,

I am currently working on the verb morphosyntax (or “morphological semantics”) of Modern Western Aramaic, a relic language still spoken in the Qalamoun mountains of Syria. My aim is to develop a comprehensive classification that integrates Vendlerian actional classes with features such as syntactic transitivity and agentivity. This approach is driven by the evidence I have encountered so far.

Could you point me to any studies or attempts that classify verbs by combining these features?

Best wishes,

Sergey



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