Perception verb complements in Akatek, a Mayan language

54 3. PERCEPTION VERB COMPLEMENTS IN ENGLISH
non-sentential complementtypes, the logical subject is either in the accusative
or in the genitive case. With the exception of PNOMs, where
the object takes the form of a PP with the preposition of, all objects
remain in the accusative case. The verb in the non-sentential complements
takes the form of either the in nitive with or without to or of
the gerund -ing.
Table 2. Complement types under consideration
Complement type Structure PVC Name
Finite complement ;/that + sentence + that-PVC
To-in nitive ACC-NP to V(ACC-NP) + to-PVC
POSS-ing (GEN-NP) V-ing (ACC-NP) - INOM
Ing-of (GEN-NP) V-ing (of NP) + PNOM
ACC-ing ACC-NP V-ing (ACC-NP) + ing-PVC
Naked in nitive ACC-NP V (ACC-NP) + NI-PVC
1.2. Semantic types. For the interpretation of natural language,
following Vendler (1967), I distinguish three classes of ontological
entities: 3
1. Physical objects ! objects
2. Events, processes, actions ! events
3. Propositions, facts, results ! propositions
For ease of reference, in the following the terms object, event and
proposition are used to refer to each of the above classes. Objects,
events and propositions are characterized in the following way:
objects are located in space. They are, however, not located in time
since they do not happen, begin or end like events do. Nevertheless,
they do exist for a certain length of time, their existence begins, lasts
and ends. It follows that objects entertain an indirect relationship to
time and a direct one to space and that they are part of the world. The
opposite holds true for events. Events primarily exist in time, they
begin, last and end. Thus, they directly relate to time. Events happen
at a certain location but they are not located in space. They relate to
space in the way objects relate to time, i.e. indirectly. Both physical
objects and events are part of the world, which distinguishes them
from propositions. Propositions are neither located in space nor
in time, they do not happen. Propositions are about things in the
3 Lyons (1977, 1989) establishes a very similar three-way classi cation of ontological
entities. He calls objects rst-order entities, events second-order entities,
and propositions third-order entities and assigns the same properties to them as
Vendler.