NON-VERBAL COMPONENTS IN MODERN ARMENIAN AND ENGLISH VERB-PARTICLE CONSTRUCTIONS: THEIR IMPACT ON THE MEANING OF THE CONSTRUCTION

Abstract

Both the English and Armenian languages possess a wide range of indefinite verb+preposition/postposition or adverb constructions. In Armenian, these constructions are termed “verb-particle constructions,” while in English, they are known as “phrasal verbs.” Prepositions/postpositions or adverbs that convey notions of place and direction primarily serve as nonverbal components in these verbal constructs. This article delves into the various types of verb-particle constructions featuring a preposition/conjunction or adverbial component in modern Armenian and English. We explore their categorization based on their grammatical nature and the role non-verbal components play in causing changes in semantics which will help to deepen the understanding of these units and the role that non-verbal components play in the changing of the meaning. By considering the morphological “role” of the non-verbal component, verb-particle constructions involving a preposition/conjunction or adverbial component can be classified into 1) prepositional/postpositional, 2) adverbial, 3) adverbial-prepositional/postpositional types. Within verb-particle constructions containing a preposition/conjunction or adverbial component, these components can establish several semantic relationships. The non-verbal component can play a formal role and not affect the meaning of the verbal component or give a semantic nuance to the action expressed by the verb. Often, the non-verbal component imparts a sense of direction to the verbal component. In some compositions, the verbal and nonverbal (when used together) acquire a new meaning that differs from their individual lexical meanings. When verbal and non-verbal components are used together, they often generate a common meaning that is different from their lexical meanings.