نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 دانشجوی دکتری زبانشناسی همگانی، دانشگاه اصفهان
2 دانشیار زبانشناسی همگانی، دانشگاه اصفهان
3 استادیار زبانشناسی همگانی، دانشگاه اصفهان
چکیده
کلیدواژهها
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]
Multiple realization of object as an argument of a verb is called "object alternation". The present paper focuses on one kind of object alternation in which the second participant in a construction is selected as the undergoer in one variant while as the oblique core argument in the other. Many verbs in Persian alternate in this way, among which the most frequent ones are known as consumption verbs, direct perception verbs, verbs of desire, and contact (by impact) verbs. Based upon Role and Reference Grammar, the paper attempts to describe object alternation in aforesaid verbs and to explain the semantic factors influencing it. To this end, the relevant data are gathered from Persian Syntactic Dependency Corpus, daily conversations, lectures, and TV programs in Persian. The data were subsequently analyzed based on RRG theoretical framework. The study shows that object- oblique alternation in Persian is a choice between a macrorole and a non-macrorole argument which depends mostly on telicity of the verb and specificity of the second participant.
Extended Abstract
1. Introduction
Multiple realization of object as an argument of a verb is called "object alternation". The present paper focuses on one kind of object alternation in which the second participant in a construction is selected as the undergoer in one variant and as the oblique core argument in the other. Many two-place predicates in Persian alternate like this, among the most frequent ones are those which involve consumption verbs, direct perception verbs, verbs of desire, and contact (by impact) verbs. Based upon Role and Reference Grammar, the paper attempts to describe object alternation in aformentioned verbs and explain the semantic factors influencing it.
2. Theoretical framework
Role and Reference Grammar (RRG) is a functional theory originally posed in early 1980s by some linguists as Van valin and Foley. One basic question RRG attempts to answer is how the interaction of syntax, semantics and pragmatics in different grammatical systems can best be captured and explained (Van Valin, 2005: 1). Accordingly, in this theory, three syntactic, semantic and pragmatic representations, which are related to each other, are posited for every structure of the utterance; the theory attempts to provide a descriptive tool for clarifying such interaction, as well.There is a set of rules, called the linking algorithm, which relates the syntactic and semantic representations to each other, and discourse-pragmatics plays a role in the linking.To put it differently, in one hand, the semantic representation, or logical structue of the sentence, is written; on the other hand, a syntactic template is chosen for that sentence; discourse-pragmatics interacts with the linking between syntax and semantics. The main concepts in this linking are semantic structure based upon the aktionsarts and semantic macroroles (actor and undergoers).
3. Methodology
Some data involving the object-oblique alternation are gathered from the Persian corpus of syntactc dependency, TV programs, newspapers, lectures, novels, daily conversations or any other sources providing authentic data in Persian. The hypothesis in this study is that semantic transitivity affects object-oblique alternation; therefore, the verbs which participate in such phenomena are selected from different semantic classification to clarify the role the core meaning of the verb has on the choice of alternating variant based upon the semantic factors it has. Theses data are, then, classified based on the semantic field of the involved verb; i.e. consumption verbs, conception verbs, vebs of interest, and contact verbs.
4. Results & Discussion
Object-oblique alternation can be regarded as a choice between macro-roles and non-macroroles in Role and Referene Grammar. The logical structure of the following sentences, for example, is do' (bačče-hâ, [eat' (bačče-hâ, [from'(qazâ)])]) (MR2) in which bačče-hâ is the actor and qazâ is the non-macrorole in (a) while it is an undergoer in (b).
(1) a. bačče-hâ az qazâ xord-and
child.pl from food eat. PAST. 3PL
Children ate from the food.
b. bačče-hâ qazâ râ xord-and
child.pl food RÂ eat. PAST. 3PL
Children ate the food.
Persian two-place predicates participate in object-oblique alternation which is influenced by several factors regading the semantic transitivity of the predicate. It seems, for example, that object-alternation is less probable when the action involved in the predicate is a telic one.
(2) a. bâyad toxmemorq râ be surat=e kâmel xord-Ø.
should egg RÂ to form=EZ complete eat-3SG. SUBJ.
One should eat egg completely.
b. *bâyad az toxmemorq be surat=e kâmel xord-Ø.
should from egg to form=EZ complete eat-3SG. SUBJ.
One should eat from egg completely.
Moreover, when the noun involved is a non-specific, it is not a participant in the event but part of the event and the alternation is not possible. A non-specific noun is more probable to follow a preposition.
(2) a. qazâ xord-im
food eat. PAST.1PL
We ate food.
b.*az qazâ xord-im
from food eat. PAST.1PL
We ate from food.
(3) a.(in) ketâb râ ɂehtiyâj dâr-am.
(this) book RÂ require have.PRES. 1SG
I require this book.
b. book RÂ require have.PRES. 1SG
I require book.
A telic activity on a specific participant can also imply affectedness on the same participant. Thus, affectedness can be highlighted as an influencing factor, as well. For contact verbs, animacy can also influence object-oblique alternation in Persian. An animate kickee can be followed by /râ/ while an inanimate one is more probably not, except for the events the affect is mentioned in the context.
(4) dâʔeš 23 šahrvand=e ʔrâqi râ lagad zad-Ø.
daish 23 citizen=EZ Iraqi RÂ kick hit.PAST.3SG
Daish kicked 23 Iraqi ctizens.
(5) be lane=(y)e zanbur lagad zad-Ø.
to nest=EZ bee kick hit.PAST.3SG
He kicked the beehive.
(6) tup râ be samt=e darvaze šut kard-Ø.
ball RÂ to direction=EZ gate shoot do.PAST.3SG
He shooted the ball into the gate.
5. Conclusions & Suggestions
The study shows that object-oblique alternation can be explained through semantics-syntax linking in RRG and it is mainly the result of a choice between a macrorole and a non-macrorole argument which is imposed to choose the second participant as undergoer in one alternate and as oblique core argument in the other; however, this is not always possible and some factors including the telicity of the verb and specificity of the second participant can influence the choice. Animacy and affectedness of the second participant can also play roles.
کلیدواژهها [English]