Mixed categories and argument transfer in Korean light verb constructions

Abstract

The Korean Light Verb Construction (LVC) contains a Sino-Korean main predicate (tayhwa-lul), a Light Verb (ha-ta), and semantic arguments of the main predicate (John-i, Tom-kwa):

          John-i        Tom-kwa tayhwa-lul  ha-yess-ta.
          John-Nom Tom-with talk-Acc     do-Pst-Dc              
          'John talked with Tom.'

We defend a three-part analysis:  (i) The subject of the main predicate is thematically controlled by the LV's subject.  Evidence: Korean verbs assigning Accusative take an external argument (Wechsler/Lee 1996; Burzio's Generalization).  Since the main predicate is Accusative, ha-ta must theta-mark its subject.  Moreover ha-ta selects a non-stative Verbal Noun (VN) (cp. *kyumson-ul ha-ta 'humble-Acc do-Dc'); non-stative theta-structures typically take an external argument (Kang 1986). This control arises through complex predicate formation.  (ii) Oblique arguments (PPs) are optionally transferred (cp. Grimshaw/Mester 1988) — but Accusative NPs are not.  Evidence comes from relativization and pronoun replacement.  (iii) Accusative is assigned by a mixed category Verbal Noun.  This can be supported by adverbial clauses with VN's assigning Accusative without LV's.  We review cross-linguistic evidence for both argument transfer (German; Hinrichs & Nakazawa; i.a.) and mixed categories (many languages, Malouf; i.a.) and show that Korean LVCs provide the right environment for both to occur.