Analytical Causatives

Abstract

Abstract Analytical causatives, in Romance languages, are of two types, one called faire‐infinitif and the other faire‐par . They are similar in that they comprise a finite verb, the causative verb, selecting an infinitive complement, and they share properties with monoclausal structures. They differ in their structure and in their meaning. After having surveyed the properties of causatives and having established their structure, the chapter presents two analyses of analytical causatives. According to one, causative sentences feature incorporation of the infinitive with the causative verb, giving rise to a monoclausal structure (following a long tradition in the linguistic field). The second analysis holds that there are two causative verbs, a functional and a full‐fledged lexical verb. Under the incorporation analysis, the existence of two causative constructions is explained by assuming that the causative verb is associated with two thematic grids: one grid includes a causer/agent, an event, and a benefactive role ( faire‐infinitif ), and the other grid only includes a causer/agent and an event role ( faire‐par ). The causative complement associated with the former grid is a v P including the external argument (of the infinitive), which receives two thematic roles (one from the infinitive and one from the causative verb); the one associated with the latter grid is a VP, lacking the external argument. Lack of the external argument and thus formation of the faire‐par construction are possible only if the process described by the infinitive affects the internal argument of the infinitive. The second analysis accounts for the existence of the two causative constructions by assuming that the lexical verb is a v do , which selects a nominal VP complement and gives rise to the faire‐par construction. Since the complement is a nominal VP, no external argument is projected, as happens with nominals, and a PP can be right‐adjoined to express the causee. The functional verb is a v cause , which takes a v P complement and yields the faire‐infinitif construction.