Prototype Theory And Transitivity

The definition of transitivity by Generative Linguistics divides clauses into two classes: transitive clauses and intransitive clauses. Those with a direct object are classified as transitive clauses, those without a direct object as intransitive clauses. This definition causes some problems, e.g.: Not all clauses with a direct object are transitive, not all the clauses with a direct object have passive forms, intransitive verbs take objects under some conditions etc. The definition by Generative Linguistics is usually binary in nature, merely focused on the syntactic matters, but didn't probe into the cognitive motivation behind these phenomena and ignored the crucial role of nonsyntactic factors. This thesis applies the prototype theory proposed by Eleanor Rosch to the analysis of transitivity. It examines transitivity in the light of semantic and morphsyntactic parameters and points out that transitivity is a continuum from"transitive"to"intransitive". What's more, the dissertation explains the argument increase from the point view of construction grammar.Taking transitivity as a grammatical prototype, the ten semantic parameters which Hopper and Thompson (1980) have been intimately concerned with are applied here to analyze the language data. They are Participants, Kenesis, Aspect, Punctuality, Volitionality, Affirmation, Mode, Agency, Affectedness of Object and Individuation of Object. All the available data support the inclusion of all of the parameters, but a new one is added: constructional meaning. For example, the sentence: Frank sneezed the tissue off the table. can only be explained according to its constructional meaning: caused-motion. It is argued that such a construction must be specified in the grammar to account for certain cases in which the semantic interpretation cannot plausibly be attributed to that main verb and other means of deriving the semantics compositionally also fail (Goldberg 1995). This dissertation analyzes transitivity from four major aspects:the event type, modality, argument construction and constructional meaning as well. They affect transitivity in different ways and different scales. The more prototypical features a sentence possesses, the closer it is to the core members of the transitive clauses, otherwise closer to the core members of the intransitive clauses.To analyze the constraints on transitivity of a sentence based on the prototype theory can give a more coherent and uniform explanation, which the classic category theory cannot, thus showing its theoretical advantages and actual application. To study transitivity with the combination of semantics and syntax can help us better understand the nature of transitivity, which is instructive in our linguistic studies.