On the cognitive nature of verb transitivity in English

Abstract

The traditional view of the transitivity of a verb as its ability to have a direct complement in the accusative case does not reflect the core essence of this verb characteristic. Therefore, the existing dichotomy of verbs into transitive and non-transitive verbs should be revised with the introduction of additional types of transitivity. The traditional classification of complements into direct, indirect and prepositional also requires a critical reconsideration due to its inconsistency. The study of the properties of English verbs using the methods of cognitive linguistics and through the prism of event theory suggests that only monovalent predicates of action or process are truly non-transitive. All other verbs should be considered transitive. The transitivity of a verb is directly related to the notion of profiling. The profile boundaries of a transitive verb include all participants in the force-dynamic chain, from the agent to the object, which undergoes a complete change of state. A non-transitive verb profiles only the agent as the source of force. Both transitive and non-transitive verbs can display variation of their transitivity characteristics as a result of their meaning evolution, associated with shifting the boundaries of the verb’s profile to represent a new kind of event.