Abstract
Some locative verbs enjoy the possibility of appearing in more than one syntactic pattern. There is, however, controversy on whether locative verbs in modern Persian can participate in alternation or not. The aim of the present paper is to investigate the issue, analyzing basic syntactic word order of double object constructions in Persian, syntactic and semantic features of specific and nonspecific objects in Persian and syntactic word formation process. The point that the basic word order in Persian allows only one thematic object (either specific or non-specific object) and the fact that the non-specific objects in double object constructions can join the verb and create one syntactic and semantic unit that saturates one argument position, all indicate that locative verbs cannot alternate in this language. The main argument here is that when the non-specific object joins the verb, it becomes a part of the verb and is not anymore a participant in the action of the verb. All the evidence provided are in favor of the absence of alternating locative verbs in Persian.
Highlights
One of the most commonly used sentence patterns in human languages, attracting so many linguists is Double Object Construction (DOC)
The aim of the present paper is to investigate the issue, analyzing basic syntactic word order of double object constructions in Persian, syntactic and semantic features of specific and nonspecific objects in Persian and syntactic word formation process
A locative verb belongs to figure-oriented class if it maps its theme onto the direct object position and its locative argument is realized as the complement of a locative preposition like into/onto or from
Summary
One of the most commonly used sentence patterns in human languages, attracting so many linguists is Double Object Construction (DOC). Ground, or Location are different labels referring to the entity into/onto or from which the object or substance is moved. Theme, Figure, or Locatum are different names used to refer to the entity being transferred. A locative verb belongs to figure-oriented class if it maps its theme onto the direct object position and its locative argument is realized as the complement of a locative preposition like into/onto or from (she dribbled paint onto the floor/ ٭she dribbled the floor with paint). A locative verb, would be classified in ground-oriented class if its theme position is occupied by a prepositional phrase headed by the preposition with and the direct object position is filled by the locative argument (she soaked the sponge with water/ ٭she soaked water into the sponge) (Olbishevska, 2005)
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