Perception verb complements in Akatek, a Mayan language

CHAPTER 5
Perception verb complements in Akatek
1. Introduction
This chapter provides a description of perception verb complements
(PVCs) in Akatek. The goal is a structural and semantic characterization
of Akatek PVCs parallel to the characterization of English PVCs
in chapter 3. As a prerequisite to the investigation of PVCs, the lexicalization
pattern of perception verbs (PVs) in Akatek is presented.
The characterization of the PVC types in Akatek allows to correlate
the PVC types with the two semantic types introduced in chapter 1:
events and propositions. In addition, non-PV matrix predicates
for the PVC types are investigated. I follow the hypotheses put forth
in chapter 1, repeated here for convenience.
1. Hypothesis I
Provided that at least one PV in a language has a cognitive
meaning, all languages with a complementation system use at
least two di erent types of PVC, one to express events and one
to denote propositions.
2. Hypothesis II
At least one PVC type is exclusively event denoting.
3. Hypothesis III
PVC types that are primarily proposition denoting can under
special conditions also be event denoting.
4. Hypothesis IV
The ability tobeembedded by the matrix predicate `know' distinguishes
the exclusively event denoting PVCs from the primarily
proposition denoting ones.
The results of the detailed description of PVCs in Akatek are compared
with the analysis of English PVCs. As was done regarding the PVC
types in English, the Akatek PVC types are also positioned within
the typology of complementation suggested by Noonan (1985). The
results of the two detailed descriptions of the PVC systems in English
and Akatek and the semantic types connected with each PVCtype,
i.e. propositions and/or events, are the basis for the typology of
PVCs, which is the topic of chapter 6.
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