SYNTAX II

Introduction

Organization

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

6.

Middles
Negative sentences
That-complement clauses
Gerund constructions
Participial constructions
Infinitival constructions

Grading policy
Mid-term test: 50%
Final test: 50%
Seminar attendance:
at least 70% ( = 5 seminars)

Bibliography

Lecture notes
Avram, L. 2006 English Syntax. The Structure of Root
Clauses . Oscar Print. Chapters 1,2 and 6.
Cornilescu, A. 2003. Complementation in English.
EUB. Chapters: That-clauses, Gerund clauses, Infinitive
clauses
<available on unibuc.ro (e-books)>

THE ENGLISH MIDDLE

MAIN PROPERTIES

The data
(1)

a.
b.

I melted the butter.

This butter melts easily.

(2)

a.
b.

John cut the meat.

This meat cuts with difficulty.

The data

(3)

a.
b.

The man scared the rabbit.

Rabbits scare easily.

(4)

a.
b.

I read this book.

Such books read easily.

The data

Middles:
active form
passive meaning

The data
the same properties as passives
but lack any morphological marker

activo-passive constructions
mediopassives
middles
middle voice structures
passivals.

The data

(1)

a. I melted the butter.

AGENT
PATIENT
DP1
DP2
SUBJECT
DIRECT OBJECT

= transitive frame

The data

(1)

b. This butter melts easily.

PATIENT
SUBJECT

= intransitive frame

The data
Middle formation = no morphological operation
Middle formation = a change in the manner in
which the arguments of the verb are projected:
Transitive frame: DP1 V DP2
Middle: DP2 V

The argument structure of middles

Crystal breaks at the slightest touch.

Patient
the Agent: people in general / one

The argument structure of middles

Crystal breaks at the slightest touch

One breaks crystal at the slightest touch.
People break crystal at the slightest touch.
an understood subject /an implicit argument
an arbitrary, non-specific, generic reading.

The argument structure of middles

the Agent is phonologically null but

semantically present.
The baggage transfers easily.
This wine drinks well.

The argument structure of middles

How do we interpret the role of the subject NP?

This cheese cuts easily.
= this cheese has the necessary properties that
allow it to cut easily
The patient-subject construction [] is used
when we want to say that the patient of the
action is to some extent acting as agent .

The argument structure of middles

Silk dresses wash easily.

= silk dresses are ...
Bread always cuts smoothly.
= bread has the necessary property...

The argument structure of middles

Tequila drinks with difficulty.

= tequila is...

Foreign cars sell easily.

=foreign cars have the property...

The argument structure of middles

I dont photograph very well.

= I am not very photogenic.

These people discourage easily and they may

become despondent.
= these people ...

The argument structure of middles

*A spouses infidelity does not handle easily.

*The fact that ones wife may leave does not
handle easily.

Q: why are these Ss ungrammatical?

The argument structure of middles

*A spouses infidelity does not handle easily.

cannot be interpreted as responsible for the event

The argument structure of middles

*The fact that ones wife may leave does not

handle easily.

cannot be interpreted as responsible for the event

The argument structure of middles

the overt argument of middles

refers to a concrete entity
non-Agent
responsible for the event denoted by the verb

The argument structure of middles

the Agent of middles

phonologically null but semantically active

generic reading: people in general/one.

Middles and genericity

Middles:

= non-eventive, generic statements, i.e.

they lack specific time reference

they are often incompatible with
(specific) time adverbials

Middles and genericity

a.

?Yesterday, the mayor bribed easily,

according to the newspaper.

b.

?At yesterdays house party, the

kitchen wall painted easily.

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

Ulysses does not translate easily.
Make sure address reads through window.
This coat buttons from its neck to the knee-length.

middles generally require an adverbial which

modifies the predicate

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

*This books reads.
* These clothes hang.
* Students bore.
The absence of such a modifier may lead to
ungrammaticality

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

BUT:
This dress buttons.

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

These bureaucrats BRIBE.
Well, the car WILL steer after all.
prosodically marked

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

Wet wool doesnt plait.
This dress wont fasten.
Negation

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

Boy did that mountain climb!

Emphatic DO

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

This book could sell.

Poetry cant translate.
Modal

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

Middles without an adverbial modifier

are acceptable if
they contain a modal verb
they contain emphatic do
they are negated
they are prosodically marked.

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

only certain adverbs are compatible with middles

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

completely, easily, totally
He completely missed his aim.
He missed his aim completely.
They modify the predicate, i.e. they are VP
modifiers.

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

evidently, probably, possibly

clausal

modifiers

He probably missed the train.

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

This book reads easily.

*Bureaucrats bribe evidently.
only adverbials which are VP modifiers
are allowed in middles

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

Q: all VP modifying adverbials?
*The novel sells proudly.
*Polyester cleans carefully.
*The book sold voluntarily.

can be interpreted as (exclusively) Agentoriented

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

the modifier cannot be an

(exclusively) Agent-oriented adverb.

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

The Adverbial

must be a VP-modifier
cannot be an (exclusively) Agentoriented adverb

The domain
*This instruction follows easily.
*Mice chase with difficulty.
*Truth doesnt tell easily.

not all transitive verbs can enter the middle

alternation.

The domain
The Affectedness Constraint
only verbs with an affected argument can
form middles.

The domain
cut verbs
clip
cut
saw
scratch
This log saws with difficulty.

The domain
tape verbs
Glue
Paste
Tape
This dress zips up.

Handcuff
Seal
Zip

The domain
verba dicendi
Say
Tell
Admit
*White lies tell easily.
*Such things do not admit easily.

The domain
perception verbs
See
Feel
Hear
Smell
Taste
* Beautiful houses see from a distance.

The domain
judgement verbs
acclaim
applaud
bless
praise
criticize
*Students praise easily.
*Teachers criticize easily.

The domain
psych verbs with Experiencer subject:
forget
admire
miss
hate
pity
dread
*Birthdays forget easily.
*Paintings admire easily.

The domain
BUT
*Teachers poison easily.
*Politicians murder easily.

The domain

This book reads fast.

Mary photographs easily.
This car drives smoothly.

The domain
the

Affectedness Constraint cannot account

for all the range of acceptable/unacceptable
middles

Q: HOW can we account for the data?

The domain
A: Only activities and accomplishments can occur in
middles

*Politicians hate easily.

*Mistakes notice fast.
This car drives smoothly.
This pipe smokes nicely.
This box assembles in seconds

The domain

BUT:
*This picture draws well.

The domain
The verbs which can be used in middles:
must be transitive verbs with an internal
affected argument
must be activities or accomplishments
their internal argument (+ affected) must be
perceived as responsible for the state of
affairs the sentence refers to.

Task: is the S below grammatical?

Eggs mix well with sugar.

Task

Grammatical
Mix= verb with an affected argument
= activity
= the subject can be responsible for

Task

The Mona Lisa sees well in Paris.

Task

*The Mona Lisa sees well in Paris.

verb of perception
argument = not affected
the subject cannot be responsible for

Task

Stray dogs spot fast.

Task

*Stray dogs spot fast.

= the argument is not affected

= spot is an achievement

Task

That cheese grates well.

Task

= grammatical
Grate = Activity
= affected argument
= the subject can be responsible for

Task

This cream wears well during the day.

Task

This cream wears well during the day.

= OK
Wear = activity
The cream = + responsible

Task

The wall paints easily.

Task

The wall paints easily.

= OK
Paint the wall = accomplishment
The wall: + responsible
The wall : + affected.

Task

At yesterdays house party, the kitchen wall

painted easily.

Task
?? At yesterdays house party, the kitchen wall
painted easily.

Task

This mare washes, saddles and bridles with

no trouble.

Task

This mare washes, saddles and bridles with

no trouble.

= OK
wash/saddle/bridle = activity/accomplishment
This mare = + responsible

Task

These burgers cook.

Task
?? These burgers cook.
= no modifier

Task

These chairs fold up.

Task

These chairs fold up.

= OK

Task

This dress zips up, that one buttons,

Task

This dress zips up, that one buttons.

= OK

Task

I thought we were out of gas, but the car

DRIVES!

Task

I thought we were out of gas, but the car

DRIVES!

= OK

Task

This book sells.

Task

??? This book sells.

= no modifier.

Task

This book will never sell.

Task

This book will never sell.

= OK
No modifier but... NEG

Task

These mosaics do not see very well.

Task

* These mosaics do not see very well.

See = not-affected

Task

His lectures understand easily.

Task

* His lectures understand easily.

understand = state predicate. Not affected

Task
LEC lectures remember painfully.

Task
* LEC lectures remember painfully.
Remember = [- affected]

Task

These tomatoes peel easily.

Task

These tomatoes peel easily.

= OK
Peel these tomatoes= accomplishment
Tomatoes: + responsible

Task

This ice cream scoops out quite easily.

Task

This ice cream scoops out quite easily.

= OK
Scoop out ice cream = activity
+ modifier
This ice cream = + responsible

Middles

The End