LINGUIST List 21.2354
Wed May 26 2010
Diss: Semantics/Syntax: Oliveira: 'Temporality in infinitive ...'
Editor for this issue: Mfon Udoinyang
<mfonlinguistlist.org>
1. Raquel
Oliveira,
Temporality in infinitive completive clauses subcategorized by perception and causative verbs: Analysis of a medieval Portuguese corpus
Message 1: Temporality in infinitive completive clauses subcategorized by perception and causative verbs: Analysis of a medieval Portuguese corpus
Date: 25-May-2010
From: Raquel Oliveira <raqueloliveirafcsh.unl.pt>
Subject: Temporality in infinitive completive clauses subcategorized by perception and causative verbs: Analysis of a medieval Portuguese corpus
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Institution: Universidade Nova de Lisboa
Program: Masters in Historical Linguistics
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2008
Author: Raquel Oliveira
Dissertation Title: Temporality in infinitive completive clauses subcategorized by perception and causative verbs: Analysis of a medieval Portuguese corpus
Linguistic Field(s):
Semantics
Syntax
Subject Language(s): Portuguese (por)
Dissertation Director:
Dissertation Abstract:
The main purpose of this dissertation was to study the temporal relationsbetween infinitival completive clauses and the perception and causativeverbs that select them. Our corpus was built from Medieval Portuguese textsfrom the XIIth to the XIVth century. Our analysis focused on bothperception verbs, such as ver (see) and ouvir (hear), and causative verbs,such as fazer (make), mandar (order) and leixar (let). We started bydefining the relevant concepts of Time, Aspect and Modality. Then, wepresented a synthesis of the descriptions on the infinitive in bothContemporary and Medieval Portuguese literature, which considers thisverbal form as neutral as far as temporal information is concerned. Next,we have put in evidence Cunha & Silvano's (2006) proposal arguing that thisverb form has temporality marks attached. In chapter II we have describedthe methodology used to build the corpus, as well as the methods and thetools used in order to treat the data. We also showed the difficulties ofthis type of investigation. In chapter III we presented the analysis of thetemporal location of non-finite clauses selected by perception andcausative verbs. We accomplished this task studying the sentences in whichthis two types of verbs subcategorize infinitival clauses. For each ofthese groups we presented a conclusion about similarities and differencesbetween the temporal value of each verb studied. In this study weinvestigated whether the semantic characteristics of the main verb haveinfluence in the interpretation of the embedded infinitival clauses. Withthis approach we expected to find out if the temporal information relatedto the infinitival form is determined by the main clause. We alsoinvestigated if the aspectual type of the verb contained in thesubordinated clause has an active role in the temporal interpretation ofthe infinitive. Beside these factors, we examined the influence of others,such as verbal tenses, durative and punctual activities, the presence ofadverbial adjuncts and eventive or stative character of the verb containedin the complement clause. Finally, we conclude that the temporalinterpretation of the infinite complement governed by perception andcausative verbs is determined by a complex interaction of several factorsthat cannot be disconnected, in particular the semantic nature of theverbs, the modal value of the main clause and the nature of the mainclause's external argument.
Page Updated: 26-May-2010
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