A Semantic Approach to Examining English Causative Constructions

Abstract

This phraseological study argues that the causative construction [make Object to Verb] ([make O to V]) derived from [make O V] is acceptable when a semantic approach is adopted, and clarifies that: (i) the essence of communication is to convey meaning, which is reflected in syntactic patterns and (ii) semantics takes priority over syntactic patterns. The semantic and syntactic features of [make O to V] were semantically examined and the extended constructions in other causative constructions, such as [get O to V], [have O V], and [let O V], were assessed. Because these are generally low-frequency, age-old contemporary English constructions, the derived constructions with causative usages, such as [make O to V], [get O V], [have O to V], and [let O to V], were found to be hindered by prescriptive grammar. As this study was focused on meaning, examining usages considered incorrect can reveal new unobserved language aspects.