Verbless Imperatives
| Author(s) | Donovan, Michael | |
| Date Accessioned | 2023-03-31T12:25:17Z | |
| Date Available | 2023-03-31T12:25:17Z | |
| Publication Date | 2022 | |
| SWORD Update | 2023-02-14T17:10:05Z | |
| Abstract | This dissertation discusses a series of constructions that possess imperative-like force but lack overt verbs. Two main constructions are investigated: general prohibitives (i.e., "No smoking!") and goal commands (i.e., "Feet on the floor!"). For general prohibitives, it is argued that imperative force is not obligatorily paired with an imperative verb or traditional imperative features, as has often previously been assumed. Instead it is argued that there is an imperative operator that is separable from traditional imperative features such as being fixed to an addressee subject. The consequences of this approach are that certain properties that have been attributed to imperatives traditionally, such as not having accessible truth values, are instead analyzed as arising via an interaction between the imperative operator and a modal specific to traditional imperatives with verbs. As for goal commands, they are analyzed as being derived from traditional imperatives via an unusual process of edge deletion. This edge deletion process is not unique to English, but is iterated across several different languages: Japanese, Korean, Greek, Turkish, Igbo. It is argued that this edge deletion is conditioned by the presence of a feature which is associated with urgent commands. It is shown in the dissertation that the ellipsis processes necessary to form verbless imperatives are unlike other more commonly discussed forms of ellipsis, and as such different mechanisms are needed to derive the ellipsis in verbless imperatives. | |
| Advisor | Bruening, Benjamin T. | |
| Degree | Ph.D. | |
| Department | University of Delaware, Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.58088/e5jx-2d15 | |
| Unique Identifier | 1374325506 | |
| URL | https://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/32610 | |
| Language | en | |
| Publisher | University of Delaware | |
| URI | https://login.udel.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/verbless-imperatives/docview/2778215768/se-2?accountid=10457 | |
| Keywords | Imperatives | |
| Keywords | Pragmatics | |
| Keywords | Semantics | |
| Keywords | Syntax | |
| Keywords | Verbless imperatives | |
| Title | Verbless Imperatives | |
| Type | Thesis |