1.3. On serial verb constructions
A serial verb construction (SVC) is a sequence of verbs that
act together as a single predicate, without any overt marker of coordination,
subordination or syntactic dependency of any other sort (Aikhenvald 2006).
There have been various approaches to SVCs. The main approach is the Argument
Sharing Hypothesis (Baker 1989, Hale 1991 and Collins 1997) which has been
explored differently so far in the literature. The Argument Sharing Hypothesis
states that verbs which occur within a serie must share an object. As far as
object sharing SVCs are concerned, early transformational analyses of SVCs
assumed that it results from deletion under identity. Modern analyses of SVCs
are briefly discussed below.
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1.3.1. The ternary-branching account
Baker (1989) proposes a ternary-branching structure wherein we
have a double-headed VP. Within this structure, the internal argument is
literally shared by the two verbs. This implies that V1 and V2 directly
theta-mark the object as shown below:
(5) a. Siìmo^ né msé tsù
Simo cook fufu corn eat
«Simo cooks and eats fufu corn»
b. VP
Spec V'
Siìmo^ V1 OBJ V2 n?ì ms?ì tsù
Assuming the Projection Principle, Baker concludes that
because the object of V1 is an immediate constituent of V' projection of V2, V2
must theta-mark it as any other verb must theta-mark its object. However, the
Baker's proposal has some consequences both at the theoretical and empirical
levels.
As it is outlined by Aboh (2009), at the empirical level, the
Baker's approach supposes that no internal argument can appear after V2 and it
cannot license an overt pronoun object co-referential with the first object. So
constructions such as (6) below pose problem to Baker's analysis:
(6).Ta?nj?^ ??Ìm Siìmo ?w?ì é
Tagne arrest Simo hit 3SG.ACC
«Tagne arrests Simo and hits him»
From a theoretical point of view, the Baker's proposal posits
the existence of a serializing parameter» within the Universal Grammar
which sets serializing languages apart from non-serializing ones. Furthermore,
ternary-branching is odd with standard assumptions of X-bar theory specially
the binarity principle as formulated by Kayne (1984).
1.3.2. The VP-Shell approach
Collins (1997) proposes a VP shell account to SVCs. In this
approach, the argument sharing hypothesis is translated into obligatory
control. In realis, Collins argues that object- sharing is mediated by a null
pronoun pro. Within the VP-shell structure, the external argument is
introduced by little v, whereas the direct object is introduced by V1. The
latter subsequently
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fronts and adjoins to v, where it is licensed. The Spec-VP2
position is filled by the empty category pro which is controlled by
the object of V1 as shown below:
(7) ?P
Spec ?'
Siìmo? ? VP1
ø + n?ì Spec V1'
ms?ì V1 VP2
n?ì Spec V2'
pro V2
ts?ì
This analysis is adopted by scholars such as Nishiyama (1998),
Larson (1991), and Stewart (2001) amongst others and overcomes the technical
problem of ternary branching. However, as it is claimed by Aboh (2009), a VP
shell approach to SVCs that relies on obligatory control only to meet the ASH
cannot accommodate series wherein control cannot hold.
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