Query Details
| Query Subject: |
Event Structure
|
| Author: | Andrea Schalley |
| Submitter Email: | click here to access email |
| Query: |
Dear linguists, I am interested in a comparison of event structures. As an example, I would like to consider English "to fetch" or German "holen". I am especially wondering how different languages express this concept - please let me know. And I'd like to know whether native speakers would say tha the event structure of "to fetch" / "holen" etc. - if the language uses only one word to express the concept - consists of three subevents: 1) going to some place, 2) taking something, and 3) coming (to the deictic center). Would you say that these three subevents are on an equal level or is one or are two of them prominent? Could you even say that two of them form a subevent themselves (so that "to fetch" consists of two subevents with one subeven being composed of two subevents itself)? I would appreciate it very much to also get information on: (i) Verb serialising languages - do they depict the even structure overtly as respective occurrences of verbs describe the subevents? (ii) Are there languages that split one from the other two subevents, e.g. via literally saying "go take-come" or "go-take come"? Thanks very much! I will be happy to post a sum if you are intersted in one. Andrea Schalley |
