Transitivity
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{{#tree:id=nl_TRA|openlevels=0|root=Transitivity (TRA)| | {{#tree:id=nl_TRA|openlevels=0|root=Transitivity (TRA)| | ||
+ | **no transitivity (NTRA): copula and linking verbs | ||
**intransitive (NTST): no object | **intransitive (NTST): no object | ||
***unergative (NERG): the subject is the agent | ***unergative (NERG): the subject is the agent |
Revision as of 18:32, 19 March 2010
Transitivity is a category that indicates the number of objects a verb requires or takes in a given instance.
Natural language
In the UNLarium framework, transitivity may assume the following values:
- Elliptical objects
- In the UNLarium framework, objects are to be considered elliptical (hidden) in verbal constructions if they can be inferred from the context.
- I read the book = I read all the afternoon = direct monotransitive (TST) (no significant semantic change)
- John kissed Mary = John kisses well = direct monotransitive (TST) (no significant semantic change)
- John bought a car = John buys (and Peter sells) = direct monotransitive (TST) (no significant semantic change)
- Different transitivity values mean different senses
- In the UNLarium framework, the same verb may have different transitivity values, but only when associated to different UWs:
- John lives in Paris = intransitive (NTST) (live = reside)
- John lives a nightmare = direct monotransitive (TST) (live = experience)
- Objects (essential) are not to be confounded with adjuncts (accidental)
- John bought a car to Mary = direct monotransitive (TST) and not ditransitive (DTST)
Examples
- English
- unergative (NERG) = run (John ran)
- unaccusative (NACC) = fall (John fell)
- direct monotransitive (TST) = kiss (John kissed Jane)
- indirect monotransitive (ITST) = depend (John depend on Jane)
- ditransitive (DTST) = give (John gave Jane an apple)
- tritransitive (TTST) = trade (John traded Jane an apple for an orange)
UNL
In UNL, transitivity, as a syntactic property, is not to be informed.