创造性动词与光杆名词短语的存在解读

Creation Verbs and the Existential Reading of Bare NPs

如果一个光杆名词短语是一个创造性动词的宾语且该动词带进行体,那么该名词短语不能获得存在解读。如果该动词带完成体,虽然相关的名词短语可以获得存在解读,但是必须考虑时间因素。只有通过词义分解的方法才能解释作为创造性动词宾语的光杆名词短语的存在解读。本文认为创造性动词语义信息可以分解出一个涉及事件完结的事件谓词,该谓词意味着一个创造性动词句对应的事件会在某个该事件没有被打断的可能世界中完结,并造成宾语位置上光杆名词短语指称的个体的产生。借助该事件谓词,我们就可以用一阶谓词逻辑来表达创造性动词句并解释其中的光杆名词短语的存在解读。

If a bare NP is the object of a creation verb with the progressive aspect, it can not have the existential reading. And if the verb takes the perfect aspect, though the NP can acquire the existential reading, reference to time must be taken into account. Only by decomposing the semantics of creation verbs can we account for the existential reading of the bare NPs in the object position. The paper argues that the semantics of creation verbs bears an eventuality predicate which means that the events denoted by the sentences with creation verbs will culminate in possible worlds in which they are not interrupted and create objects denoted by the bare NPs in the object position. By expressing the eventuality predicate, we can translate sentences built on creation verbs into predicate logic formulae and explain the existential reading of bare NPs.