USE
A Valency Analysis
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This is the (simplified) valency representation
of the sentence He opened the can:
He open the can.
In the following we shall disregard the
definite article and the tense morpheme.
2
This is the valency representation of the
sentence He wanted to open the can:
He wanted (to) open the can.
Note that the ”subject” arrow of the infinitive
is represented, although syntactically it can
be considered unrealized.
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Now let us begin analysing a typical
sentence with the verb use:
He used a knife to open the can.
He used (a) knife to open the can.
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The rest of the analysis can be carried out
in two ways. According to the first solution,
use and to are both two-place predicates.
He used (a) knife to open the can.
I.e., to ≈ ’intend’
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According to the second analysis, to is not
a predicate, and use has three valency
positions:
He used (a) knife (to) open the can.
I.e., the intention is implied,
but not expressed overtly.
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Now let us look at a close paraphrase:
He opened the can with a knife.
There are different ways of handling the
phrase with a knife.
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According to the classical analysis,
INSTRUMENT is a deep case. This
gives us the following representation:
He opened the can (with a) knife.
8
If we prefer to let open have only two
valency positions we can turn with into a
predicate.
Still, we have to choose between two
solutions: with can be either a two-place
or a three-place predicate.
9
To understand this, let us compare the
paraphrases He used a knife to open the
can and He opened the can with a knife.
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Solution with semantic to:
He used (a) knife to open the can.
He opened the can with (a) knife.
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As we see, there is no element in He
opened the can with a knife that can
match the predicate to in He used a
knife to open the can.
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Solution with syntactic to:
He used (a) knife (to) open the can.
He opened the can with (a) knife.
13
This solution gives us total isomorphism
between the paraphrases.
14
Of course, in some contexts to must be
analysed as semantic, even when occurring
with use.
To open the can, use a knife.
Cf. the pretty close paraphrase: If you want
to open the can, use a knife.
15
Not realized third valency position:
John opened the can. He used (a) knife.
In order to retrieve the third position, we have
to cross the sentence border (full stop).
16
Predicate incorporated:
the er (of) the instrument
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Syntactic nomen agentis:
Only John uses this instrument.
The only (er of) this instrument (is) John.
18
Implicit use:
«use» tool
«use» instrument
«use» machine
«use» means
19
First valency position not realized:
«use» means (of) production
sewing «use» machine
20
Incorporated predicate and implicit predicate.
«use» er
«use» er
21
Syntactic tool:
John opened the can.
His «use» (tool was a) knife.
22
Now a cross-linguistic comparison.
«use» er
«use» maskin
naja mashina
23
In Russian, we do not need an implicit verb
«use»; the adjective itself can be the carrier
of such a meaning.
Note also that Sw. disk (verbal
morpheme) corresponds to Eng. wash,
not to dish!
24
Another cross-linguistic comparison: milking
machine vs Sw. mjölkmaskin*.
«use» ing machine
«use» >maskin
*Less common, but also possible: mjölkningsmaskin.
25
Still another cross-linguistic comparison:
screwdriver vs Sw. mejsel.
«use» er
«use» mejsel2 «skruv» «skruva»
mejsel1 = chisel
mejsel2 = screwdriver
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He was knifed by a bandit.
He (was) «use» ed (by a) bandit.
27
Knife vs saw.
«use» knife «cut»
«use»
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The End
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