The role of deixis in multi-verb sequences in English
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36505/TheLinguisticProceedings/2025/17/02/010/000696Keywords:
multi-verb sequence, deixis, fully syntactic structure, reduced structureAbstract
This paper explores the role of deixis observed in multi-verb sequences in English. It deals with four types of multi-verb sequences: V-and-V, V-to-V, V-V, and V-Ving. Multiverb sequences are divided into two types: regular and irregular. Only the deictic verbs come and go can occur in all four types of irregular multi-verb sequences. This paper shows that irregular multi-verb sequences have a reduced structure that does not include two verb phrases despite the presence of two verbs, and that there are two constraints on irregular multi-verb sequences: the integrity constraint and the subject constraint. Consequently, one conclusion can be drawn: the deictic verbs come and go play a vital role in forming irregular multi-verb sequences.References
Carden, G., Pesetsky, D. 1977. Double-verb constructions, markedness, and a fake coordination. CLS, 13, 82-92.
Huddleston, R., Pullum, G.K. 2002. The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ross, J.R. 1967. Constraints on Variables in Syntax. PhD Dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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Published
01-12-2025
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Proceedings Papers
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Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are properly credited.
How to Cite
The role of deixis in multi-verb sequences in English. (2025). Linguistic Proceedings Series, 17(2), 37-40. https://doi.org/10.36505/TheLinguisticProceedings/2025/17/02/010/000696
