| This dissertation investigates the syntactic and semantic relations among the various impersonal verbs and impersonal constructions in Russian, while at the same time examining the pragmatic and discourse functions that impersonalization of serves in the language. This treatment differs from previous studies of Russian impersonals in that it recognizes the properties of the patterns as a whole and distinguishes them from those of the verbs that participate in the patterns. In other words, this dissertation captures those syntactic, semantic and pragmatic aspects of the patterns that contrast with those of the head component in these patterns---the verb.; Within the framework of Construction Grammar I systematically analyze the various morphological, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic ways in which the different types of impersonals in Russian are connected. The crux of this study concerns these very issues in relation to two well-known Russian impersonal sentence patterns, the 'adversity impersonal' and 'reflexive impersonal' constructions.; This dissertation also address topics that are of general theoretical interest, including major frameworks' understandings of the notion of 'subject,' its place in the clause, and its relationship to 'impersonals.' Included with this is a discussion of theories of predication in formal frameworks and in Construction Grammar.; This study concludes that the various impersonal patterns are indeed a family of constructions that can be organized according to various inheritance-hierarchical criteria. I conclude by providing a network of the ways in which the constructions interact in Russian grammar, reviewing the data with respect to questions dealing with the tension that arises between the properties of the of the construction as a whole and those of the verbs themselves. I then address 'subjecthood,' 'subjectlessness and impersonalization,' and 'predication' with respect to my data. |
