Increasing the valency of motion verbs: the case of the portative construction

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningfagfællebedømt

  • Maria Messerschmidt
This paper surveys the valency-increasing constructions that apply to motion verbs in 49 genetically diverse languages. These include causative constructions, a variety of applicative constructions and the portative construction which is a valency-increasing construction that is lexically restricted to motion verbs. In the portative construction, the verb’s valency is increased by adding theme as a P-argument, but conceptually there is also an element of (co-motional) causation. However, the paper argues that the construction is neither causative nor applicative. Instead, the portative construction, which is frequent in the sample languages, should be considered a distinct type of valency-increasing construction.
OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftS T U F - Sprachtypologie und Universalienforschung
Vol/bind75
Udgave nummer1
Sider (fra-til)161-197
ISSN0942-2919
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 1 apr. 2022

ID: 316544718