Argument Realization (Research Surveys in Linguistics)

Book Details

• Author: Beth Levin

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

• Edition: Illustrated

• Binding: Hardcover

• Number of Pages: 288

• Release Date: 20-06-2005

• ISBN: 9780521663311

• Languages: English

About The Book

In The Semantics of Argument Structure, Beth Levin provides a comprehensive survey of the complex relationship between verbs and their arguments, a topic that has long been debated in linguistic research. This book presents an in-depth exploration of how a verb's semantics can influence the morphosyntactic realization of its arguments, bridging the gap between lexical semantics and syntactic structure.

Levin offers a clear and systematic examination of various theories that link verb meaning with syntactic form, synthesizing research from a range of linguistic subdisciplines and theoretical frameworks. The book begins with a survey of leading theories concerning event structure and conceptualization, providing a solid foundation for understanding how verbs are conceptualized within different languages.

Chapters five and six delve into the mapping from lexical semantics to morphosyntax, with a detailed focus on the thematic hierarchy. The final chapter provides a thorough review of treatments related to multiple argument realization, highlighting how verbs can take multiple arguments and how these relationships are structured in different languages.

Richly referenced with bibliographies and definitions of relevant terms, this book is an essential resource for students and researchers in the fields of syntax, semantics, and related areas. Levin’s work contributes significantly to the ongoing discussion of how verbs shape syntactic structure, making this volume an indispensable tool for anyone interested in the intricate relationship between language meaning and form.