Unaccusative verb
In nominative–accusative languages, the accusative case, which marks the direct object of transitive verbs, usually represents the non-volitional argument (often the patient).
[3] The derivation of the core properties of unaccusative constructions from a set of principles has been one of the topmost issues[citation needed] of the agenda of modern syntax since the seminal work by Perlmutter 1978 (cf.
More specifically, the first approach introduced by the Unaccusative Hypothesis arrived at an important consequence constituting an analogy between English passive voice constructions and unaccusative constructions whereas in the second approach a more radical theory was proposed[clarification needed] based on the analysis of expletive there stemming from the sentences with the copula suggested in Moro 1997.
Further linguistic studies have shown that intransitive verbs will identify as either unergative or unaccusative, determined by the language.
A recent study proposed by James Baker in 2019 suggests that intransitive verbs not only identify as either unaccusative or unergative, but with multiple different classes.
The original traditional hypothesis proposed by Levin & Rappaport-Hovav in 1995 mentions linking rules referring to either an external or internal argument.
In Split Intransitivity, Baker introduces additional components to the processing of unaccusative verbs he calls Initiation, State, and Change.
In the second stage, L2 learners realize and become awakened to the natural linking rules proposed by Levin and Rappaport Havov in 1995.
According to linguistic theory, unaccusative verbs have sentences that undergo lexical and syntactic operations that do not occur with unergative and transitives.
[8] A recent study in 2010 by Friedmann, Shetreet, and Hadar explains and supports this linguistic theory by showing that there are two separate activation locations from unaccusative and unergative verbs in the brain.
There are languages which do not have auxiliary selection, such as Russian, and therefore other tests sometimes have to be used to determine whether a verb is unaccusative or unergative Other tests that have been studied involve passivization (see Impersonal passive voice), ne/en cliticization in Italian and French, and impersonal, participial, and resultative constructions in a wide range of languages.
In Japanese, the grammaticality of sentences that appear to violate syntactic rules may signal the presence of an unaccusative verb.
According to transformational models of grammar, such sentences contain a trace located in the direct object position that helps to satisfy the mutual c-command condition between numeral quantifiers and the noun phrases they modify (Tsujimura, 2007).
Modern English only uses one perfect auxiliary (have), although archaic examples like "He is fallen/come" reflect the use of be with unaccusative verbs in earlier stages of the language.
Детиchildren-NOMкупилиbought-PLмногоmanyкнигbooks-GENДети купили много книгchildren-NOM bought-PL many books-GEN‘The children bought a lot of books.’Многоmuchтравыgrass-GENнарослоgrew-NEUT.SGвinпаркеparkМного травы наросло в паркеmuch grass-GEN grew-NEUT.SG in park‘A lot of grass grew in the park.’*Многоmanyдетейchildren-GENнаигралоplayed-NEUT.SGвinпаркеpark*Много детей наиграло в паркеmany children-GEN played-NEUT.SG in park‘Many children played in the park.’Locative Inversion (Babyonyshev 1996) is a construction that is only possible for the NPs in the position of the subject of unaccusative verbs.
Вinуглуcornerваляласьlay-FEM.SG-REFLкурткаjacket-NOMВ углу валялась курткаin corner lay-FEM.SG-REFL jacket-NOM‘In the corner lay a jacket.’Вinсадуgardenрослиgrew-PLтриthreeрозыroses-NOMВ саду росли три розыin garden grew-PL three roses-NOM‘In the garden grew three roses.’*Себеselfподunderносnoseнапевалsang-MASC.SGПетяPetja-NOM*Себе под нос напевал Петяself under nose sang-MASC.SG Petja-NOM‘To himself sang Petya.’ВinквартиреapartmentсвиститwhistlesВаняVanya-NOMВ квартире свистит Ваняin apartment whistles Vanya-NOM‘Vanya is whistling in the apartment.’In contrast, Genitive-of-Negation, is frequently used by Russian speakers in both spoken and written language.
Similar to Basque, Georgian also features different markings for agent/object nouns in intransitive contexts, but does the verb case remains unchanged[clarification needed].
