7: Toward The End Of Argument Structure

Abstract

The goal of this chapter was to present a host of arguments against the widespread assumption that verbs take thematic arguments. The arguments have been drawn from facts about distributive readings, focus, and variable verbal adicity. A number of counter-arguments have also been addressed and it argues that these arguments do not undermine the case for severing thematic arguments from the verb. The chapter discusses possible consequences of this view for the syntax-semantics interface and argued that the mapping should rely on the functional structure of the sentence. The most important take-home message is that there are several arguments against the widespread assumption that verbs have argument structure that is reflected in the grammar. If the arguments given in the chapter are correct, then verbs might simply be monadic for the purposes of the grammar. Keywords: argument structure; thematic arguments