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LINGUIST List 23.2623

Wed Jun 06 2012

Diss: Typology: Fauconnier: 'Constructional Effects of Involuntary and Inanimate Agents: A cross-linguistic study'

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Date: 06-Jun-2012
From: Stefanie Fauconnier <stefaniefauconniergmail.com>
Subject: Constructional Effects of Involuntary and Inanimate Agents: A cross-linguistic study
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Institution: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Program: Doctoral School of Linguistics
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2012

Author: Stefanie Fauconnier

Dissertation Title: Constructional Effects of Involuntary and Inanimate Agents: A cross-linguistic study

Dissertation URL: https://lirias.kuleuven.be/handle/123456789/330755

Linguistic Field(s): Typology

Dissertation Director:
Jean-Christophe Verstraete

Dissertation Abstract:

This dissertation investigates morpho-syntactic phenomena associated with
the presence of involuntary and inanimate Agents. On the basis of a 200
language sample, it is argued that these phenomena are very diverse
cross-linguistically. They do not only include the use of special case
marking (Differential Agent Marking), but also the use of verbal markers
normally associated with anticausative voice or completive aspect. Apart
from describing these phenomena, the dissertation also investigates how
they can be explained from a functional perspective.

The results of this study can have implications for linguistic theory. It
is argued, for instance, that the relationship between the Agent and the
Patient role is not one of polar opposites, as is often assumed, and that
the Silverstein Hierarchy has a number of important flaws.


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