Desire Predicates in Presence and Absence of the Light Verbs: Addressing their Embedded Clausal Structure in Bangla

Abstract

The current study focuses on an intriguing dichotomy seen in the Bangla (Bengali: Indo-Aryan) language, which centers on the desire predicates expressed by the term itʃtʃʰe ‘desire’. In the Bangla language, the desire predicate itʃtʃʰe can be used independently or in conjunction with the light verb hɔwa ‘happen’ to form the NV conjunct itʃtʃʰe hɔwa, indicating the occurrence of the desire. According to the scholarly works of Dasgupta (1989), Chatterjee (2014), and Butt (2010) the Bangla language exhibits the presence of composite verb formations, whereby a nonverb is combined with a verb. These formations involve the occurrence of a light verb with a noun, adjective, or adposition. The primary focus of this study will be on the differentiation between the bare verb itʃtʃʰe ‘desire’ and its usage in conjunction with the light verb forming itʃtʃʰe hɔwa. The distinction between them pertains to their embeddability qualities, namely the clausal complements they choose.