Separability of Light Verb Constructions in Persian*

they cannot be relativized and focused on by Wh-interrogatives. Therefore, they fall
under the category of inseparable LVCs (Karimi-Doostan, 1997). In contrast, the LVCs
with nominal PVs (5d) behave differently. Some of them can appear in sentences such as
those in (3) while some cannot and they resist separation in the syntax as in (4) and (5).
Thus, the LVCs of (6d) type fall into two groups: separable and inseparable LVCs.
3. The Components of Light Verb Constructions
We believe that, to explain the separbility and inseparability of LVCs (3-5), it is
necessary to uncover the semantic and morphosyntactic characteristics of members of
LVCs. As mentioned earlier, every LVC of (6d) type, separable or inseparable, consists
of a LV and a nominal PV. We will examine and elaborate on the properties of LVs in
(3.1) and the semantic and morphosyntactic features of nominal PVs will be presented
and focused on in (3.2).
3.1. Light Verbs 2
In Megerdoomian (2002: 77) LVs are of two kinds: Inner LVs and Outer LVs.
The former contributes the inner event, internal argument and aspect but the latter
contribute the outer event, external argument and aspect. Folly, Harley and Karimi (2005:
1379) believe that LVs play agent/cause, eventive and duration roles in LVCs. Karimi-
Doostan (1997: 99-131), studying a wide range of LVs in Persian in detail, concludes that
LVs, lacking thematic roles and fully specified a-structure, have preserved their lexical
aspectual properties and they determine the (a)telicity of the VPs. Karimi-Doostan (2005:
1743-4), claiming that LVs are accusative case markers, points out that it is unknown
whether in LVCs (a)telicity follows from case properties or vice versa. To understand the
nature and morphosyntactic and semantic characteristics of LVs in Persian we compare
them with heavy (lexical) verbs and auxiliaries of this language in sections {3.1.1} and
{3.1.2}.
2 . The relationship between light verbs in Persian and little v in Minimalist Programme (Chomsky, 1995;
1999; 2001; Radford, 2004; among others) is dealt with in Karimi-Doostan (2005).
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