Check Questions

1 Explain the notions ‘event structure’ and ‘aspect’.

2 Compare unaccusatives with ergative and intransitive verbs. Consider the event structure of the verbs, their complementation, the position and theta roles assigned to the complements, the ability to appear in causative and/or passive contexts, diagnostics for telling them apart, and further properties.

3 Consider the specifier position in a projection headed by a light verb and a thematic verb. How can it be argued that the two specifier positions are assigned different theta roles?

4 What evidence is available to support the assumption that there is an empty light verb in the transitive counterpart of a light verb+unaccusative verb structure?

5 How is passive conceptualised in the text?

6 What assumption(s) provides a way out of the problem(s) that both agent and experiencer arguments occupy [Spec, vP] at D-Structure? What other evidence is available to support the existence of multiple light verb constructions?

7 What is the analysis proposed for multiple complement constructions developed in the text?

8 What arguments are put forward against the assumption that clausal complements occupy the [Spec, VP] position?

9 On the basis of the text make a list of verb-types identified.