On The Compositional Nature Of States (linguistik Aktuell/linguistics Today)

This monograph pursues a structural analogy between the availability of an existential interpretation in states and the telicity of events. Focusing on evidence from both verbal and adjectival predicates, it argues that quantization forms the basis of a unified theory of aktionsart and provides a theory in which the availability of an existential interpretation in states is, like the telicity of events, determined compositionally by the predicate and the quantization of its internal argument. Quantization is further argued to reflect the internal temporal constitution of the stages of an individual which is tied to the generation of an existential interpretation. This monograph will be of interest to syntacticians and semanticists who are specifically concerned with compositional approaches to eventualities, and to those who have a more general interest in the role linguistic theory can play in determining core properties of the mind. Machine Generated Contents Note: Ch. 1 Introduction -- 1.1.the State Of Aktionsart -- 1.2.stage-level And Individual-level Predicates -- 1.2.1.stativity -- 1.2.2.existential Interpretation -- 1.2.2.1.there-constructions -- 1.2.2.2.existential Interpretation Of Subjects -- 1.2.2.3.a Note On The Aspectual Nature Of Existential Interpretation -- 1.2.3.restriction On Locative And Temporal Modification -- 1.2.4.lifetime Effects -- 1.3.two Observations For Stage-level/individual-level Predicates -- 1.3.1.internal Arguments -- 1.3.2.scalar Predicates -- 1.4.previous Theories Of Stage-level/individual-level Predicates -- 1.4.1.distinctions In The Domain Of Individuals -- 1.4.2.distinctions In Argument Structure -- 1.4.2.1.argument Structure -- 1.4.2.2.two Types Of Infl -- 1.4.3.aspectual Approaches -- 1.4.4.distinction In Discourse -- 1.4.4.1.situated Discourse -- 1.4.5.requiring Topics -- 1.5.a Note On Context -- 1.6.an Overview -- Ch. 2 States And Compositionality --^ 2.1.telicity As A Phrase-level Category -- 2.2.existential Interpretation -- 2.3.other Relationships Between Telicity And Existential Interpretation -- 2.3.1.non-alternating Verbs -- 2.3.1.1.activity (atelic) Verbs -- 2.3.1.2.achievement (telic) Verbs -- 2.3.2.non-alternating Stative Verbs -- 2.3.2.1.individual-level (generic-only) Verbs -- 2.3.2.2.stage-level (existential-only) Verbs -- 2.3.2.3.exist -- 2.4.conclusions -- Ch. 3 The Arguments Of Statives -- 3.1.introduction -- 3.2.the Availability Of Existential Interpretation -- 3.2.1.topics Again -- 3.2.2.varieties Of Arguments -- 3.2.2.1.weak/strong -- 3.2.2.2.quantization -- 3.2.3.the Range Of Objects -- 3.2.3.1.further Evidence -- 3.3.temporal Interpretation Of Stage-level/individual-level Predicates -- 3.3.1.lifetime Effects -- 3.3.2.temporal Modification -- 3.3.3.the Aspectual Nature Of Existential Interpretation -- 3.3.3.1.location Dependence -- 3.3.3.2.predicates Of Individuals Vs. Predicates Of Events --^ 3.3.4.interim Conclusions -- 3.4.part Structure And Stage-level/individual-level Predicates -- 3.4.1.quantization In Events -- 3.4.1.1.features And The Plus Principle -- 3.4.1.2.towards A Compositional Account -- 3.4.2.quantization In States -- 3.4.2.1.vp-internal Composition Of States -- 3.4.2.2.introducing The Subject -- 3.4.2.3.evidence For Voice In Stative Predicates -- 3.4.2.4.returning To Temporal Interpretation -- 3.5.conclusions -- Ch. 4 Adjectival Predicates And Scale Structures -- 4.1.introduction -- 4.2.scale Structure And Stage-level/individual-level Predicates -- 4.2.1.the Structure Of Scales -- 4.2.1.1.scale Closure -- 4.2.1.2.scale Standards -- 4.2.1.3.the Positive Form -- 4.3.scale Structure In Eventualities -- 4.3.1.scale Structure In Events -- 4.3.1.1.issues For The Measure Of Change -- 4.3.2.the Quantization Of Scales -- 4.3.2.1.the Part Structure Of Scales -- 4.3.2.2.summary -- 4.3.3.scale Structure In States --^ 4.3.3.1.deriving Adjectival Predicates: Two Approaches -- 4.3.3.2.requiring Topics And Silent Locatives -- 4.4.arguments In Adjectival Predicates -- 4.4.1.adjectival Arguments And Alternations -- 4.4.2.what About Scale Structure? -- 4.4.3.object Agreement In Dutch -- 4.5.chapter Summary -- Ch. 5 Conclusions And Speculations -- 5.1.review Of The Theory -- 5.2.why Quantization? -- 5.3.quantization And Other Cognitive Systems -- 5.3.1.nominal Reference And The Visual System -- 5.4.final Thoughts. E. Matthew Husband. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [159]-166) And Indexes. Focusing on evidence from both verbal and adjectival predicates, this title argues that quantization forms the basis of a theory of aktionsart and provides a theory in which the availability of an existential interpretation in states is, like the telicity of events, determined by the predicate and the quantization of its internal argument. Focusing on evidence from both verbal and adjectival predicates, this work argues that quantization forms the basis of a unified theory of aktionsart. It is of interest to syntacticians and semanticists who are specifically concerned with compositional approaches to eventualities.