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Article published In:
Language and Linguistics
Vol. 25:4 (2024) ► pp.577–614

Verbal marking, intransitivity, and argument structure

The case of Budai Rukai

| University of Mississippi
This paper provides an intransitive analysis for an array of predicates which exhibit specific marking patterns in Budai Rukai. Contra previous lexical approaches, it is argued that a verbal prefix found on the predicates instantiates a functional head v, which constructs an intransitive vP. Its spell-out form is conditioned by its interaction with other higher functional categories, including tense, causative, passive, and complementizer. With respect to intransitivity, the resulting vP does not admit an accusative object, and it exhibits unergative, unaccusative, and anticausative properties. Regarding argument structure, these predicates are mostly one-place predicates. The sole argument is the grammatical subject which usually denotes an affected theme or an experiencer.
Keywords: intransitivity, argument structure, functional category, Formosan, Austronesian
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Budai Rukai and some basic patterns
  • 2.Predicate type and related characteristics
  • 3.Basic marking patterns
    • 3.1The paradigm and tense marking patterns
    • 3.2Negation
    • 3.3Modality
  • 4.Marking patterns and clause structure
    • 4.1Causative
    • 4.2Complementizer phrases
      • 4.2.1 La ‘and (then); therefore; so (that)’
      • 4.2.2 Lu ‘as; if; when’
      • 4.2.3 Sa ‘when’
      • 4.2.4 Sana ‘whenever; if’
    • 4.3Other constructions
      • 4.3.1Coordination
      • 4.3.2Passive
      • 4.3.3Imperative
      • 4.3.4Resultative
  • 5.Syntactic and semantic properties
    • 5.1The vP structure and the spell-out rule
    • 5.2Case marking
    • 5.3Argument structure and structural considerations
      • 5.3.1Argument structure
      • 5.3.2Structural considerations
      • 5.3.3Interim discussion
    • 5.4Lack of causation
    • 5.5Non-conforming forms
  • 6.Conclusions and future research
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • List of abbreviations
  • References
Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at [email protected].

Published online: 22 April 2024
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/lali.00164.che
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