文章基本信息

标题：Estonian Middle Semantics with Evidence from Discourse
本地全文：下载
作者：Virve-Anneli Vihman
期刊名称：Nordlyd
印刷版ISSN：1503-8599
出版年度：2003
卷号：31
期号：4
语种：English
出版社：Nordlyd
摘要：This paper presents arguments for recognizing a middle voice in Estonian. The claim that the semantics of middle-marked verbs differs in a substantial way from the semantics of other intransitive constructions leads to the examination of the discourse pragmatics of these constructions, and the relationship between discourse patterns and their valency and argument properties. Various topicality measures show that the argument participant in middle clauses lies between that of the sole participant (S) in intransitive clauses and the O of active transitive clauses. The results regarding the discourse behaviour of middle arguments constitute new evidence for the view that middle constructions differ from ordinary intransitive verbs, despite structural similarities, and mark a unique range on the scale of transitivity exhibited by verbs in Estonian.
关键词：Middle Voice; Estonian Language; Discourse; Transitivity