Eckhard Bick - VISL

5
The uses of valency:
A bridge from syntax to semantics
5.1 Valency as lexical "boot strapping":
A research paradox
The role of valency in my parser is rather dynamic: On the lower, morphosyntactic,
levels of analysis, valency is treated as “God given” lexical information inherently
bound to a given lexeme, which is expressed by secondary “untouchable” tags. On
higher levels of analysis, valency tags are themselves disambiguated (ch. 5.4 and 5.5),
turning into primary tags and even allowing semantic interpretation. Such dynamics is
natural and wanted in the concept of progressive level parsing, and fairly easy to
implement in the CG formalism. From a research point of view it is more problematic
that valency is treated as a “God given” feature on a lexicographic level in the first
place. Valency patterns, especially verbal valency patterns, are not stable in the same
way inflexional patterns are. Consider the following cline of monotransitivity, from
least to most transitive with respect to direct objects:
verb direct object
cair () ? (no chão) ‘fall (on the ground)’
dormir um sono feliz ‘sleep [a happy sleep]’
viver uma guerra ‘live/experience [a war]’
comer peixe ‘eat [fish]’
lançar uma ofensiva ‘launch [an offensive]’
Cair is an ergative (inaccusative) verb (), with a patient subject which prevents it
from taking a direct (patient) object, ever (?). The verb does take adverbial arguments,
though (‘cair no chão’). Dormir is usually known as an intransitive (inergative 215 ) verb
(), but a direct object can be forced by replicating the verb’s meaning in the object
noun (‘sleep’ V - ‘sleep’ N). Viver (‘live’) is usually used as an intransitive, though
mostly with a place or time complement. However, with a change in meaning
(‘experience’), direct objects of the (occasions) or (periods) semantic
prototypes are allowed. Comer is usually used as a transitive (), but not
215 If used in the perfeito simples tense (‘dormiu’), a more ergative reading and perfective aspect can be forced (‘he fell
asleep’), and the adjectival use of the participle ‘dormido’ (unthinkable in a “pure” inergative intransitive verb) is possible,
making ‘dormido’ mean ‘adormecido’ (‘asleep’, “fallen asleep”).
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