Le-predicates and event modification in Mexican Spanish

Autor: Ia Navarro, M. Teresa Espinal
Rok vydání: 2012
Předmět:
Zdroj: Lingua. 122:409-431
ISSN: 0024-3841
DOI: 10.1016/j.lingua.2011.12.008
Popis: In this paper we will account for the semantic composition of a productive class of predicates in Mexican Spanish formed by lexical verbs that combine with a defective morphosyntactic clitic. Our analysis is that le corresponds to a lexical affix that is syntactically analysed as a defective High Appl head that selects for intransitive roots or intransitivized verbal bases, and projects a Le P. Semantically, le encodes an intensive meaning and imposes certain restrictions on the specific event schemas denoted by the V it may combine with. We show that le modifies the selected event by classifying it as an Action; and, in addition, the whole modified event may intersectively combine with a locus or goal property denoted by an external locative or oblique topic adjunct. Le is not an argument of the predicate, and therefore can be associated neither with a referential nor with a coreferential interpretation, but is not expletive either. This paper is relevant for showing how morphosyntax feeds semantics.
Databáze: OpenAIRE