The English Middle 2015 in a Nutshell(1)

Introduction

SYNTAX II

Organization

1. Middles

2. Negative sentences

3. That-complement clauses

4. Gerund constructions

5. Participial constructions

6. Infinitival constructions

Grading policy

Mid-term test: 50%

Final test: 50%

Seminar attendance:

at least 70% ( = 5 seminars)

Bibliography

Lecture notes

Avram, L. 2006 English Syntax. The Structure of Root Clauses . Oscar Print. Chapters 1,2 and 6.

Cornilescu, A. 2003. Complementation in English. EUB. Chapters: That-clauses, Gerund clauses, Infinitive clauses

THE ENGLISH MIDDLE

MAIN PROPERTIES

The data

(1) a. I melted the butter.

b. This butter melts easily.

(2) a. John cut the meat.

b. This meat cuts with difficulty.

The data

(3) a. The man scared the rabbit.

b. Rabbits scare easily.

(4) a. I read this book.

b. Such books read easily.

The data

Middles:

active form

passive meaning

The data

the same properties as passives

but lack any morphological marker

activo-passive constructions

mediopassives

middles

middle voice structures

passivals.

The data

(1) a. I melted the butter.

AGENT PATIENT

DP1 DP2

SUBJECT DIRECT OBJECT

= transitive frame

The data

(1) b. This butter melts easily.

PATIENT

SUBJECT

= intransitive frame

The data

Middle formation = no morphological operation

Middle formation = a change in the manner in

which the arguments of the verb are projected:

Transitive frame: DP1 V DP2

Middle: DP2 V

The argument structure of middles

Crystal breaks at the slightest touch.

Patient

the Agent: people in general / one


Crystal breaks at the slightest touch

One breaks crystal at the slightest touch.

People break crystal at the slightest touch.

an understood subject /an implicit argument

an arbitrary, non-specific, generic reading.


the Agent is phonologically null but

semantically present.

The baggage transfers easily.

This wine drinks well.


How do we interpret the role of the subject NP?

This cheese cuts easily.

= this cheese has the necessary properties that allow it to cut easily

The patient-subject construction [] is used when we want to say that the patient of the action is to some extent acting as agent .


Silk dresses wash easily.

= silk dresses are ...

Bread always cuts smoothly.

= bread has the necessary property...


Tequila drinks with difficulty.

= tequila is...

Foreign cars sell easily.

=foreign cars have the property...


I dont photograph very well.

= I am not very photogenic.

These people discourage easily and they may

become despondent.

= these people ...


*A spouses infidelity does not handle easily.

*The fact that ones wife may leave does not handle easily.

Q: why are these Ss ungrammatical?


*A spouses infidelity does not handle easily.

cannot be interpreted as responsible for the event


*The fact that ones wife may leave does not handle easily.

cannot be interpreted as responsible for the event


the overt argument of middles

refers to a concrete entity

non-Agent

responsible for the event denoted by the verb


the Agent of middles

phonologically null but semantically active

generic reading: people in general/one.

Middles and genericity

Middles:

= non-eventive, generic statements, i.e.

they lack specific time reference

they are often incompatible with (specific) time adverbials

Middles and genericity

a. ?Yesterday, the mayor bribed easily,

according to the newspaper.

b. ?At yesterdays house party, the kitchen wall painted easily.

Middles and Adverbial modifiers

Ulysses does not translate easily.

Make sure address reads through window.

This coat buttons from its neck to the knee-length.

middles generally require an adverbial which modifies the predicate


*This books reads.

* These clothes hang.

* Students bore.

The absence of such a modifier may lead to ungrammaticality


BUT:

This dress buttons.


These bureaucrats BRIBE.

Well, the car WILL steer after all.

prosodically marked


Wet wool doesnt plait.

This dress wont fasten.

Negation


Boy did that mountain climb!

Emphatic DO


This book could sell.

Poetry cant translate.

Modal


Middles without an adverbial modifier

are acceptable if

they contain a modal verb

they contain emphatic do

they are negated

they are prosodically marked.


only certain adverbs are compatible with middles


completely, easily, totally

He completely missed his aim.

He missed his aim completely.

They modify the predicate, i.e. they are VP modifiers.


evidently, probably, possibly

clausal modifiers

He probably missed the train.


This book reads easily.

*Bureaucrats bribe evidently.

only adverbials which are VP modifiers are allowed in middles


Q: all VP modifying adverbials?

*The novel sells proudly.

*Polyester cleans carefully.

*The book sold voluntarily.

can be interpreted as (exclusively) Agent-

oriented


the modifier cannot be an

(exclusively) Agent-oriented adverb.


The Adverbial

must be a VP-modifier

cannot be an (exclusively) Agent-

oriented adverb

The domain

*This instruction follows easily.

*Mice chase with difficulty.

*Truth doesnt tell easily.

not all transitive verbs can enter the middle alternation.

The domain

The Affectedness Constraint

only verbs with an affected argument can

form middles.

The domain

cut verbs

clip

cut

saw

scratch

This log saws with difficulty.

The domain

tape verbs

Glue Handcuff

Paste Seal

Tape Zip

This dress zips up.

The domain

verba dicendi

Say

Tell

Admit

*White lies tell easily.

*Such things do not admit easily.

The domain

perception verbs

See

Feel

Hear

Smell

Taste

* Beautiful houses see from a distance.

The domain

judgement verbs

acclaim

applaud

bless

praise

criticize

*Students praise easily.

*Teachers criticize easily.

The domain

psych verbs with Experiencer subject: forget

admire

miss

hate

pity

dread

*Birthdays forget easily.

*Paintings admire easily.

The domain

BUT

*Teachers poison easily.

*Politicians murder easily.

The domain

This book reads fast.

Mary photographs easily.

This car drives smoothly.

The domain

the Affectedness Constraint cannot account

for all the range of acceptable/unacceptable

middles

Q: HOW can we account for the data?

The domain

A: Only activities and accomplishments can occur in middles

*Politicians hate easily.

*Mistakes notice fast.

This car drives smoothly.

This pipe smokes nicely.

This box assembles in seconds

The domain

BUT:

*This picture draws well.

The domain

The verbs which can be used in middles:

must be transitive verbs with an internal affected argument

must be activities or accomplishments

their internal argument (+ affected) must be perceived as responsible for the state of affairs the sentence refers to.

Task: is the S below grammatical?

Eggs mix well with sugar.

Task

Grammatical

Mix= verb with an affected argument

= activity

= the subject can be responsible for

Task

The Mona Lisa sees well in Paris.

Task

*The Mona Lisa sees well in Paris.

verb of perception

argument = not affected

the subject cannot be responsible for

Task

Stray dogs spot fast.

Task

*Stray dogs spot fast.

= the argument is not affected

= spot is an achievement

Task

That cheese grates well.

Task

= grammatical

Grate = Activity

= affected argument

= the subject can be responsible for

Task

This cream wears well during the day.

Task

This cream wears well during the day.

= OK

Wear = activity

The cream = + responsible

Task

The wall paints easily.

Task

The wall paints easily.

= OK

Paint the wall = accomplishment

The wall: + responsible

The wall : + affected.

Task

At yesterdays house party, the kitchen wall painted easily.

Task

?? At yesterdays house party, the kitchen wall painted easily.

Task

This mare washes, saddles and bridles with

no trouble.

Task

This mare washes, saddles and bridles with

no trouble.

= OK

wash/saddle/bridle = activity/accomplishment

This mare = + responsible

Task

These burgers cook.

Task

?? These burgers cook.

= no modifier

Task

These chairs fold up.

Task

These chairs fold up.

= OK

Task

This dress zips up, that one buttons,

Task

This dress zips up, that one buttons.

= OK

Task

I thought we were out of gas, but the car

DRIVES!

Task

I thought we were out of gas, but the car

DRIVES!

= OK

Task

This book sells.

Task

??? This book sells.

= no modifier.

Task

This book will never sell.

Task

This book will never sell.

= OK

No modifier but... NEG

Task

These mosaics do not see very well.

Task

* These mosaics do not see very well.

See = not-affected

Task

His lectures understand easily.

Task

* His lectures understand easily.

understand = state predicate. Not affected

Task

LEC lectures remember painfully.

Task

* LEC lectures remember painfully.

Remember = [- affected]

Task

These tomatoes peel easily.

Task

These tomatoes peel easily.

= OK

Peel these tomatoes= accomplishment

Tomatoes: + responsible

Task

This ice cream scoops out quite easily.

Task

This ice cream scoops out quite easily.

= OK

Scoop out ice cream = activity

+ modifier

This ice cream = + responsible

Middles

The End

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The English Middle 2015 in a Nutshell(1)