2023/12/20 by Rita Gonçalves, Ana Maria de Brito · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · #Linguistics and Language Studies #Spanish Linguistics and Language Studies #Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation
paper · doi:10.16995/jpl.10715
openalex publication_date 2023/12/20 · openalex created_date 2023/12/21 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
In this paper, we discuss syntactic and semantic properties of complex predicates with the light verb dar ‘to give’ in three African Varieties of Portuguese (Angolan, Mozambican, and Santomean Portuguese).We propose a cross-linguistically supported distinction between types of complex predicates. The data shows that not only deverbal nouns, as extensively discussed in the literature, but also denominal, deadjectival, and even non-derived nouns may combine with the light verb dar to form a complex predicate, a possibility that arises from the fact that those nouns can be predicative. We distinguish three subtypes of complex predicates, depending on their semantic interpretation:(i) transferential event; (ii) transferential event-result; and (iii) causative. Building on Arad’s (1998) work, and against Cuervo (2008), we propose that transferential and causative predicates are ditransitive, but differ according to semantic features of the predicate and the thematic role of the Indirect Object. We further show that African Varieties of Portuguese converge with European Portuguese with respect to the syntax of complex predicates, although they exhibit a more flexible availability of combinations with the light verb dar than in European Portuguese.