On the subject-orientation of the dispositional middle construction
This article argues against the claim that the dispositional middle construction is always subject-oriented, by discussing dispositional constructions in Japanese and impersonal middle constructions formed with the causative verb lassen ‘let’ in German. In Japanese, the disposition is ascribed not t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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De Gruyter
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Linguistics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/ling-2020-0271 |
| _version_ | 1797208516663967744 |
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| author | Oya Toshiaki |
| author_facet | Oya Toshiaki |
| author_sort | Oya Toshiaki |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article argues against the claim that the dispositional middle construction is always subject-oriented, by discussing dispositional constructions in Japanese and impersonal middle constructions formed with the causative verb lassen ‘let’ in German. In Japanese, the disposition is ascribed not to the nominative subject, but to an object. In German, nominative subjects are not required. This suggests that subject orientedness is not inherent but arises from the properties of independently existing constructions that are interpeted as dispositional. In English and German, an intransitive or a reflexive construction derived from its transitive variant is employed as a canonical middle construction. In these cases, the accusative argument becomes a nominative subject by applying specific grammatical operations; thus, the expression of a subject becomes obligatory. In contrast, a potential construction is interpreted as dispositional in Japanese in which case the disposition is typically ascribed to the object with nominative case, which is almost obligatory in Japanese. It follows that the target of the disposition in middle constructions is a grammatically “highlighted” event participant, as in the case of root modals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T09:40:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9694683e925c4c739ba636a962622e9f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0024-3949 1613-396X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T09:40:03Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Linguistics |
| spelling | doaj.art-9694683e925c4c739ba636a962622e9f2024-04-15T07:41:57ZengDe GruyterLinguistics0024-39491613-396X2023-05-0161354759210.1515/ling-2020-0271On the subject-orientation of the dispositional middle constructionOya Toshiaki0Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, JapanThis article argues against the claim that the dispositional middle construction is always subject-oriented, by discussing dispositional constructions in Japanese and impersonal middle constructions formed with the causative verb lassen ‘let’ in German. In Japanese, the disposition is ascribed not to the nominative subject, but to an object. In German, nominative subjects are not required. This suggests that subject orientedness is not inherent but arises from the properties of independently existing constructions that are interpeted as dispositional. In English and German, an intransitive or a reflexive construction derived from its transitive variant is employed as a canonical middle construction. In these cases, the accusative argument becomes a nominative subject by applying specific grammatical operations; thus, the expression of a subject becomes obligatory. In contrast, a potential construction is interpreted as dispositional in Japanese in which case the disposition is typically ascribed to the object with nominative case, which is almost obligatory in Japanese. It follows that the target of the disposition in middle constructions is a grammatically “highlighted” event participant, as in the case of root modals.https://doi.org/10.1515/ling-2020-0271dispositional middle constructionimpersonal let-middlejapanesesubject-orientedness |
| spellingShingle | Oya Toshiaki On the subject-orientation of the dispositional middle construction Linguistics dispositional middle construction impersonal let-middle japanese subject-orientedness |
| title | On the subject-orientation of the dispositional middle construction |
| title_full | On the subject-orientation of the dispositional middle construction |
| title_fullStr | On the subject-orientation of the dispositional middle construction |
| title_full_unstemmed | On the subject-orientation of the dispositional middle construction |
| title_short | On the subject-orientation of the dispositional middle construction |
| title_sort | on the subject orientation of the dispositional middle construction |
| topic | dispositional middle construction impersonal let-middle japanese subject-orientedness |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/ling-2020-0271 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT oyatoshiaki onthesubjectorientationofthedispositionalmiddleconstruction |