Abstract
While a lot of research has already been done on defining compound verb constructions and understanding their semantic and pragmatic usages, there is still a gap when it comes to our understanding of atypical compound verb constructions where transitive polar verbs are paired with intransitive vector verbs and vice versa. In this paper we focus on atypical constructions with two intransitive vector verbs: jānā and baiṭhnā. We collate and review the different meanings that scholars have ascribed to these constructions and present our own analysis. We conclude that the main reason behind using an intransitive vector verb with a transitive polar verb is to reduce the transitivity of the action by implying reduced agency on the part of the Agent-like argument of the sentence. In addition to that, the use of an intransitive vector verb with a transitive polar verb also tells us which argument in the sentence is affected by the action from the point of view of the speaker. However, sometimes atypical constructions are also used by the speaker to express his/her shock or astonishment over a particular event, thus imposing his/her own ideas about agency, volitionality, and affectedness on the action being observed.
Highlights
While a lot of research has already been done on defining compound verb constructions and understanding their semantic and pragmatic usages, there is still a gap when it comes to our understanding of atypical compound verb constructions where transitive polar verbs are paired with intransitive vector verbs and vice versa
We briefly review how different points on the transitivity continuum (Hopper, Thompson 1980; Tsunoda 1985; Lazard 2002; Kittilä 2002; Næss 2007) are realized morpho-syntactically in H/U and we discuss the implications atypical compound verb constructions have on the transitivity of the clause
In particular we show that the use of atypical compound verb constructions can change the transitivity parameters for the main verb
Summary
The compound verb construction in Hindi/Urdu (hereafter H/U) is a widely studied and discussed phenomenon. so far, a conclusive understanding of the factors or conditions under which compound verbs are used still evades us. In this paper our aim is to study some of the instances when transitive polar verbs are used with intransitive vector verbs, what we are referring to as an ‘atypical compound verb construction’.3. We discuss semantic implications of atypical compound verb constructions that use jānā, ‘to. We briefly review how different points on the transitivity continuum (Hopper, Thompson 1980; Tsunoda 1985; Lazard 2002; Kittilä 2002; Næss 2007) are realized morpho-syntactically in H/U and we discuss the implications atypical compound verb constructions have on the transitivity of the clause. In section four we build further from the analysis of Kachru (1979) and Drocco (2018) and discuss the idea of negative surprise and astonishment associated with the use of atypical constructions with jānā as a vector verb..
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