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Against the Psych Causative Alternation in Polish

Publication date: 21.03.2019

Studies in Polish Linguistics, Special Volume, Special Volume 1 (2019), pp. 77 - 97

https://doi.org/10.4467/23005920SPL.19.007.10987

Authors

,
Bożena Rozwadowska
Institute of English Studies,University of Wrocław, Kuźnicza 22, 50-138 Wrocław, Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9029-6463 Orcid
All publications →
Anna Bondaruk
The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Al. Racławickie 14, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7718-2960 Orcid
All publications →

Titles

Against the Psych Causative Alternation in Polish

Abstract

The paper examines Object Experiencer (henceforth, OE)/Subject Experiencer (henceforth, SE) verb alternations in Polish in order to check whether Polish exhibits the causative/ anticausative alternation in the psych domain (psych causative alternation of Alexiadou and Iordăchioaia 2014, henceforth A&I 2014). The focus is on two types of SE reflexive alternants of OE verbs, i.e., (i) SE forms with an obligatory instrumental case-marked DP derived from stative OE roots, and (ii) SE forms with an optional instrumental DP derived from eventive OE roots. It is argued that in both cases the reflexive SE alternants of either stative or eventive OE verbs have an obligatory or optional instrumental DP which acts as a complement and represents a Target/Subject Matter (henceforth, T/SM, cf. Pesetsky 1995), not a Cause. Therefore, the reflexive OE/SE verb alternation cannot be of the causative/anticausative type. Monovalent reflexive SE verbs, lacking an instrumental DP altogether, are unergative (Reinhart 2001), not unaccusative (contra A&I 2014). The overall conclusion reached in the paper is that the psych causative alternation is absent in Polish.

Acknowledgements

We are most grateful to two anonymous SPL reviewers, whose insightful comments significantly contributed to the final shape of the paper. All errors remain our responsibility

References

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Information

Information: Studies in Polish Linguistics, Special Volume, Special Volume 1 (2019), pp. 77 - 97

Article type: Original article

Authors

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9029-6463

Bożena Rozwadowska
Institute of English Studies,University of Wrocław, Kuźnicza 22, 50-138 Wrocław, Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9029-6463 Orcid
All publications →

Institute of English Studies,University of Wrocław, Kuźnicza 22, 50-138 Wrocław, Poland

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7718-2960

Anna Bondaruk
The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Al. Racławickie 14, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7718-2960 Orcid
All publications →

The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Al. Racławickie 14, 20-950 Lublin, Poland

Published at: 21.03.2019

Article status: Open

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND  licence icon

Article financing:

This research was funded by grant 2014/15/B/HS2/00588 from National Science Centre, Poland.

Percentage share of authors:

Bożena Rozwadowska (Author) - 50%
Anna Bondaruk (Author) - 50%

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English

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