English Phrasal Verbs


Date Submitted:	09-Feb-2007
From:	Kevin Duckworth
Subject:	English Phrasal Verbs
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Notice:	English phrasal verbs have been a headache for hundreds of years. They have been an obstacle for those who teach or learn the language and have baffled generations of linguists. My colleague, José García Bes and myself, Kevin Joseph Duckworth rose to the challenge. We have identified a commonality in the particles which go beyond the probability of coincidence. Within the list of particles there are groups which share identical qualities and have their own particular word order structure which other particles do not. The structural forms are as follows: Particle object Object particle Particle<>object (separable) The particles which exclusively use the structure “particle object” are: Against, at, for, from, into, round/around, to, upon, with These particles we have nominated “noble” since they represent elements of nobility among the society of the period. The structure “particle object” as used by these noble particles denotes an implicit reverence or importance attached to the subject by the particle. The common denominator of the particles is that they represent characters, circumstances and events ina medieval theatre of war. The original significances have changed and evolved over a period of some 700 years and likewise the reverential aspect of the object placement has almost disappeared. We hypothesis that English phrasal verbs developed from a solution to a communication problem that was highlighted by the hundred Year’s War. For the firsrt time in it history, England invaded France with an expeditionary force that was comprised of groups of soldiers that had been arrayed from all quarters of the land. These groups were united in a common cause, but were divided by their own local dialects of which there were many. Some particles are used as accompanying particles, as in “to come across with something”. When there are two particles in the phrase, each one retains its own significance and both interact to give a larger picture of what is going on. Across, represents the no-mans-land between a sronghold under siege and the attacking army. With, represents the hereditory noble and his garrisons, wealth and power. To come across with something, to provide something needed urgently at the necessary time Oxford Advanced learner’s Dictionary Here we can see that a noble has provided assistance to those being besieged and in a timely fashion. Since my colleague has had to retire from the venture due to ill health, I am seeking the assistance of someone who is not scared to push the boat out. There have been some linguists who have derided our findings as pure invention and risible to boot. For anyone interested in collaborating in this project, or seeking further information on particles or structure, please contact me at pvsdecoded@yahoo.com.ar