LINGUIST List 11.2426

Thu Nov 9 2000

Qs: Unusual Eng Constructions, French Verb Prefix

Editor for this issue: Karen Milligan <karenlinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Larry, Unusual English contructions
2. Elizabeth Hamacher, the French verb prefix co-, con-, com-

	

	Greetings!
	
	Colin Whiteley's question regarding an unusual Spanish construction
	encouraged me to solicit some comments on the grammaticality and structure
	of the following expressions - I was tempted to add "the degree of
	grammaticality of which I will, at this time, abstain from making any
	claims about" but decided to settle for "about whose degree of
	grammaticality I won't make any claims at this time", so as to not distract
	from the topic. (You gotta love English grammer.)
	
	Note:
	I show possible other ways of expressing the intended meaning in parentheses.
	
	? this cabin sleeps 5 (5 people can sleep in this cabin at the same time)
	? this table seats 6 (6 people can sit at this table at the same time)
	? this table sits 6 (6 people can sit at this table at the same time)
	? this plate eats 4 (4 people can eat from this plate at the same time)
	? this car rides 5 (5 people can ride in this car at the same time)
	? this pool swims 150 (150 people can swim in this pool at the same time)
	? this beach lies 1000 (1000 people can lie on this beach at the same time)
	
	As an aside, one could also consider expressions of the type
	
	these pants fit two (2 people can fit into these pants at the same time)
	this bus takes 50 people (50 people can take this bus at the same time)
	
	which are obviously(?) of a different quality.
	
	Comments, from native and non-native speakers alike, would be appreciated.
	If warranted, I will post a summary of comments.
	
	Regards: Larry
	
	
	

I am looking for sources of information on the following topic. I would
very much appreciate any help which you could give.

I am currently doing a diachronic study of the prefix co- and its
variants in the context of French verbs for a Master's thesis.

In particular I am looking at:
 - composition vs affixation
 - separability of the prefix
 - semantice effect of the prefix
 - effect of the prefix on argument structure
 - effect of the prefix on aspect of the verb
 - diachronic evolution of the above

Thank you in advance for your help.

 Greetings from Queen's University in Kingston, Canada.
 Elizabeth Hamacher