Instructor: Imola-Ágnes Farkas

farkas_imola_agnes@yahoo.com
Office hours: Tuesday 9-10 a.m., M16

Introduction to Generative Grammar

Seminar: VP-shells, syntactic types and passive voice

Outline

Syntactic types:

One argument initialised as subject: unergative verb

Tests: -- fails the participial adjective test
-- may build pseudopassives in English
-- always uses “have” perfect auxiliary selection

One argument initialised as direct object: unaccusative verb

Tests: -- passes the participial adjective test
-- cannot build pseudopassives in English
-- uses/may use “be” perfect auxiliary selection

Two arguments initialised as subject and direct object: transitive verb

Three arguments initialised as subject, direct object, and indirect object: ditransitive verb

VP-shells: core VP: projected by V which assigns the object theta-roles (Theme/Patient, Beneficiary/
Goal/Source)
first merger (sister of V) lowest argument
last merger (spec-VP) higher argument

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 shell vP: projected by a morphemic causative feature ø (light verb) which assigns the agentive
theta-role (Agent/Cause/Experiencer)
first merger (sister of v) with core VP
last merger (spec-vP) with highest argument

1. The cricketer rolled the ball across the lawn.

2. The ball rolled across the lawn.
3. The ball was rolled across the lawn by the cricketer.

Theta grid

roll Syntactic type:

Argument structure

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The cricketer rolled the ball across the lawn. (transitive roll)

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The ball rolled across the lawn. (unaccusative roll)

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The ball was rolled across the lawn by the cricketer. (passive roll)

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Using the X-bar model, draw the tree diagram of the following sentences.

1. The shah has slept in this bed.

2. This bed was slept in by the shah.

Theta grid

sleep Syntactic type:

Argument structure

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The shah has slept in this bed. (unergative sleep, active) Does PP merge or adjoin?

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This bed was slept in by the shah. (unergative sleep, pseudopassive) Does PP merge or adjoin?

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The shah has slept in this bed. (unergative sleep, active), final syntactic tree
In unergative constructions locative PP merges in core VP

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All passive past participles license be as their c-commanding inflection.

So do unaccusatives in Italian, French, Romanian, Old, Middle, early Modern English

What do passive past participles and unaccusatives have in common?

They both lack a vP shell.

Core VP licenses be auxiliaries

vP shell licenses have auxiliaries

Further practice:
Using the X-bar model, draw the tree diagram of the following sentences.

1. George broke the vase.

2. The vase was broken by George.
3. The vase broke.

4. George hit the boy with the binoculars.

5. The boy with the binoculars was hit by George.
6. The boy was hit with the binoculars by George.

7. Somebody has lived in this house.

8. This house was lived in for many years.

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