Verb Verb Complexes in Asian Languages: A Structural and Functional Analysis

Verb verb complexes (VVCs) are a prevalent grammatical phenomenon found in many Asian languages, characterized by the combination of two or more verbs into a single lexical unit. These complexes exhibit unique structural and functional properties that deviate from simple verb combinations, warranting a comprehensive analysis to unravel their linguistic intricacies.

Structural Characteristics

VVCs can manifest in various structural forms, primarily involving:

Verb-Verb Complexes in Asian Languages

by Theodore Menten

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1. Serial Verbs: Sequential arrangement of two or more verbs, each expressing a distinct action or event (e.g., "run go" in Mandarin Chinese to indicate "run away").
2. Auxiliary Verbs: A verb that precedes the main verb, modifying its meaning or grammatical function (e.g., "can sing" in English to indicate ability).
3. Light Verbs: A semantically weak verb that combines with another verb to form a complex with a specific meaning (e.g., "make do" in English to indicate "manage to do something").

The structural complexity of VVCs poses challenges in parsing and analyzing these constructions, requiring linguists to employ rigorous methods to delineate their internal components and interrelationships.

Semantic Functions

VVCs serve a wide range of semantic functions, including:

• Event Sequencing: Expressing the temporal or logical order of events (e.g., "eat finish" in Mandarin Chinese to indicate "eat until finished").
• Aspect and Modality: Modifying the verb's aspect (e.g., progressive or perfective) or modality (e.g., possibility or necessity).
• Causation and Result: Indicating the cause-effect relationship between actions or events (e.g., "make cry" in English to indicate "cause someone to cry").
• Lexical Expansion: Creating new lexical items with specific meanings that cannot be expressed by single verbs (e.g., "look down upon" in English to indicate "regard with contempt").

The semantic versatility of VVCs highlights their role in conveying complex meanings and enriching the linguistic repertoire of Asian languages.

Discourse-Level Functions

Beyond their structural and semantic properties, VVCs also play significant roles in discourse analysis, namely:

• Cohesion and Coherence: Linking utterances and establishing logical connections within a discourse (e.g., "run go" in Mandarin Chinese to create a coherent narrative of a fleeing event).
• Topic Management: Introducing or emphasizing discourse topics and maintaining their continuity throughout the text (e.g., "make clear" in English to emphasize a point of discussion).
• Information Structuring: Dividing information into manageable units and presenting it in an organized manner (e.g., "look down upon" in English to create a contrastive focus on a specific aspect).

The discourse-level functions of VVCs contribute to the overall coherence, readability, and information flow in Asian languages.

Cross-Linguistic Comparison

While VVCs are prevalent in Asian languages, their specific structural and functional characteristics vary across different language families:

This cross-linguistic comparison underscores the diversity of VVCs across Asian languages while highlighting their core grammatical and discourse-level functions.

Verb verb complexes in Asian languages are complex and multifaceted grammatical constructions that exhibit unique structural, semantic, and discourse-level properties. Their ability to combine multiple verbs into a single lexical unit allows for the expression of intricate meanings and the organization of information in a cohesive manner. Further research on VVCs is essential to deepen our understanding of Asian language grammars and their communicative potential.

References

• Givón, T. (1990). Syntax: A functional-typological . Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
• Li, C. N., & Thompson, S. A. (1981). Mandarin Chinese: A functional reference grammar. Berkeley: University of California Press.
• Starosta, S. (2000). The grammaticalization of verb-verb compounds in East and Southeast Asian languages. In M. Shibatani & G. B. Palmer (Eds.),Grammaticalization: Linguistic variation and historical change (pp. 107-140). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Van Valin, R. D., Jr. (1993). A synopsis of role and reference grammar. In R. D. Van Valin, Jr. (Ed.),Advances in role and reference grammar (pp. 1-164). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Verb-Verb Complexes in Asian Languages

by Theodore Menten

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	11838 KB
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	608 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

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