Transitivity (of verbs)

martins · Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 7:18 pm Post subject: Transitivity (of verbs)

I - Transitivity is to be indicated according to the definitions (and not according to the examples). A single verb may have different transitivity values, but this will happen only for different definitions of the same verb:
kill (cause to die) = DIRECT TRANSITIVE (Mary killed Peter)
kill (be fatal) = INTRANSITIVE (Smoking kills)

II - For the same definition, transitivity must be indicated from the most comprehensive to the least comprehensive:
a) TRITRANSITIVE
b) DITRANSITIVE
c) MONOTRANSITIVE
d) INTRANSITIVE

If the verb may have two objects (direct and indirect), it will be always DITRANSITIVE, even if these positions are empty:
a) Mary sent the book to Peter = ditransitive
b) Mary sent the book = ditransitive
c) *Mary sent to Peter = ditransitive
d) *Mary sent = ditransitive

If the verb may have one object (direct or indirect), it will be always TRANSITIVE, even if this position is empty:
a) Mary reads the book to Peter = direct transitive ("to Peter" is an adjunct, and not an object)
a) Mary reads the book = direct transitive
b) Mary reads well = direct transitive
c) Mary reads = direct transitive
d) Mary depends on me for that = indirect transitive ("for that" is an adjunct, and not an object)
d) Mary depends on me = indirect transitive
e) *Mary depends = indirect transitive

If the verb may not have any object, it will be INTRANSITIVE. But intransitive verbs must be sub-classified as UNERGATIVE (subject = agent) or UNACCUSATIVE (subject is not the agent), unless the role of subject may not be determined:
a) Mary runs fast = unergative
b) Mary runs = unergative
c) Mary sleeps = unaccusative
d) Mary seeps well = unaccusative

III - Transitivity has to do with SEMANTICALLY NECESSARY arguments:
a) Mary reads the book to Peter = direct transitive (and not ditransitive, because "to Peter" is not semantically necessary: who reads, reads something, and not necessarily reads something to someone; "to Peter", in this case, is an adjunct, and not an object);
b) Mary gave the book to Peter = ditransitive (because "to Peter" is semantically necessary: who gives, gives something to someone)
c) Mary reads = direct transitive (and not intransitive, because the object, even though implicit, is necessary: who reads, reads something)

snrch · Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Posts: 2

Hi Ronaldo,

Just a follow up, if I have a verb that can be either direct, indirect transitive or ditransitive, but with a quite similar sense between them, should I put one entry to each one in the dictionary? I though of a "prototype" but it is not always on can judge which one is the most common use.

Thanks,

Sonia.

martins · Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 2:16 pm Post subject: RES: Re: Transitivity (of verbs)

Dear Sonia,

The general rule is to adopt the highest transitivity value (from tritransitive to intransitive). For instance, the English verb “to read”, in the sense of “interpret something that is written or printed”, may be either transitive (“she reads several books”) or intransitive (“she reads a lot”); in the UNLarium, it should be considered “transitive”, because “transitive” includes “intransitive”. But notice, please, that sometimes a change in transitivity affects the intended meaning: the English verb “to cry”, for instance, is intransitive in the sense of “shed tears because of sadness”, and transitive in the sense of “utter aloud”. In this case, there should be different UWs, instead of different transitivity values for the same UW.

Best,

Ronaldo.