Urdu/Hindi displays a curious construction in which a nominalized verb of perception combines with the verb ‘give’. As an experiencer predicate, it takes a dative subject; however, there is no other instance in the language in which the subject of ‘give’ is a dative. Furthermore, the verb ‘give’ is a three-place predicate, but the N-V experiencer predicate is only two-place. We propose an analysis by which the construction originates in a ditransitive agentive N-V complex predicate whose goal argument is reanalyzed into an experiencer. We propose that the mechanism is similar to that posited by Sch¨atzle (2018) for the rise of dative subjects in Icelandic, where an originally locative predication gave rise to experiencer predicates.
Experiencers vs. agents in Urdu/Hindi nominalized verbs of perception
Lucrezia Carnesale;
2023-01-01
Abstract
Urdu/Hindi displays a curious construction in which a nominalized verb of perception combines with the verb ‘give’. As an experiencer predicate, it takes a dative subject; however, there is no other instance in the language in which the subject of ‘give’ is a dative. Furthermore, the verb ‘give’ is a three-place predicate, but the N-V experiencer predicate is only two-place. We propose an analysis by which the construction originates in a ditransitive agentive N-V complex predicate whose goal argument is reanalyzed into an experiencer. We propose that the mechanism is similar to that posited by Sch¨atzle (2018) for the rise of dative subjects in Icelandic, where an originally locative predication gave rise to experiencer predicates.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
