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Perception verb complements in Akatek, a Mayan language

Perception verb complements in Akatek, a Mayan language

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194 5. PERCEPTION VERB COMPLEMENTS IN AKATEK<br />

The <strong>verb</strong> for learn<strong>in</strong>g ilel consists of the PV il `see' and the directional<br />

el `exit'. This <strong>verb</strong> also embeds type2 <strong>complements</strong> as can be<br />

seen <strong>in</strong> example (166). The subject of both matrix and complement<br />

clause, ix un<strong>in</strong> `the child', can occur either beh<strong>in</strong>d the PV or beh<strong>in</strong>d<br />

the PVC as the examples show. The only di erence is that the type2<br />

complement <strong>verb</strong> b'ey `walk' only obta<strong>in</strong>s a thematic vowel (ITV) if it<br />

occurs <strong>in</strong> nal position like <strong>in</strong> (166-a).<br />

(166) a. x-;-y-ilel ix un<strong>in</strong> s-b'ey-i<br />

PERF-B3-A3-learn NCL child A3-walk-ITV<br />

`The child learnt towalk.'<br />

b. x-;-y-ilel s-b'ey ix un<strong>in</strong><br />

PERF-B3-A3-learn A3-walk NCL child<br />

`The child learnt towalk.'<br />

3.4.6. Motion <strong>verb</strong>s. Motion <strong>verb</strong>s can take either type1 or type2<br />

<strong>complements</strong> (Zavala, 1992b). Atype1 complement with a motion<br />

<strong>verb</strong> matrix predicate is restricted <strong>in</strong> that it cannot take explicit aspect.<br />

It is per default <strong>in</strong>terpreted as remote past as illustrated <strong>in</strong> (167-a).<br />

Motion <strong>verb</strong>s with type2 <strong>complements</strong>, marked by the su x -on, receive<br />

an <strong>in</strong>terpretation as recent past as illustrated <strong>in</strong> (167-b).<br />

(167) a. x-b'et w-il ach-an<br />

PERF-walk A1-see B2-CL1s<br />

`I went to see you (some time ago).'<br />

Zavala (1992b), 312<br />

b. x-b'et w-il-on ach-an<br />

PERF-walk A1-see-SUF B2-CL1s<br />

`And I went to see you.' Zavala (1992b), 312<br />

3.4.7. Causative <strong>verb</strong>s. Some causative <strong>verb</strong>s (CVs) <strong>in</strong> <strong>Akatek</strong> can<br />

take either type2 or type3 <strong>complements</strong> (Zavala, 1992b). The ma<strong>in</strong><br />

di erence <strong>in</strong> behaviour between type2 <strong>complements</strong> of CVs and type2<br />

PVCs is that <strong>in</strong> causative constructions transitive type2 are only optionally<br />

marked with the su x -on.<br />

Structurally, transitive and <strong>in</strong>transitive causative<strong>verb</strong> <strong>complements</strong><br />

(CVCs) have to be dist<strong>in</strong>guished. TransitiveCVC<strong>verb</strong>s occur after the<br />

lexically realized causer, i.e. the subject of the CV denot<strong>in</strong>g the agent<br />

(AGT), while the causee, the direct object of the CV denot<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

patient (PATi), is coreferential with the subject of the CVC <strong>verb</strong> denot<strong>in</strong>g<br />

the agent (AGTi), as is represented <strong>in</strong> (168). The nal position<br />

is occupied by the patient denot<strong>in</strong>g direct object (PAT) of the CVC

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