CONTENTS
PREFACE = xiii
CHAPTER ONE - THE ISSUES OF NOMINALIZATION: PROBLEMS AND DESIDERATA FOR A THEORY OF NOMINALIZATION = 1
1.1. Aim of the Chapter = 1
1.2. The Relation Between Nouns and Verbs. Statements of Occurrence = 2
1.3. The Recoverability of Noun Meaning from Verb Meaning = 3
1.3.1. Transformational vs Lexical: Derived Nouns = 4
1.3.2. Ingo f -Nouns = 8
1.3.3. Drawing the Consequences = 12
1.4. The Case for Events = 14
1.4.1. Meaning Differences Between Nominals and That-Clauses = 15
1.4.1.1. Remember, Notice, and See = 15
1.4.1.2. Mary's Resignation Surprised Us = 19
1.4.2. Distributional Facts = 20
1.4.2.1. Vendler on the Interpretation of Perfect and Imperfect Nominals = 20
1.4.2.2. Negated Nominals = 23
1.4.3. Adding a Desideratum = 26
1.5. More on the Relation Between Verbs and Nouns = 26
1.5.1. Adverbial Modification = 26
1.5.2. The Status of "Arguments" of Nouns = 27
1.6. Listing the Desiderata = 28
1.7. What's coming = 30
Notes = 30
CHAPTER TWO - ENGLISH NOMINALIZATION: SOME SYNTACTIC ISSUES = 33
2.1. Aim of the Chapter = 33
2.2. The Lexical Representation of Performance = 34
2.3. Ingo f -Nouns: Lexical Derivation or Syntactic Derivation? = 36
2.3.1. Phrasal Verbs = 37
2.3.2. Argument Structure = 42
2.4. The Syntactic Analysis of Gerundive Nominals = 44
2.4.1. Are Gerundive Nominals NPs? = 48
2.4.2. Are Gerundive Nominals NPs-Over-Ss? = 51
2.4.3. The NP-Over-VP View vs the Nom-Over-VP View = 53
2.4.4. Gerundive NPs and X-bar Theory = 57
Notes = 58
CHAPTER THREE - A SEMANTICS FOR ENGLISH NOMINALIZATION = 62
3.1. Aim of the Chapter = 62
3.2. Some Intuitive Ideas for the Interpretation of English Nominals = 62
3,2.1. Events and Propositions = 62
3.2.2. What is a Performance of a Song? = 63
3.2.3. How to Recover the Noun Meaning from the Verb Meaning = 64
3.2.3.1. Kratzer's (1989) Semantics of Situations and the Meaning of Performv = 65
3.2.3.2. The Meaning of Performance. Statements of Occurrence = 66
3.2.3.3. The Meaning of Performingo f = 67
3.2.3.4. The Meaning of The Soprano's Performing the Song = 69
3.2.4. Semantic Selection = 71
3.2.5. Meaning Difference Between Derived Nominals and That-Clauses = 73
3.2.6. Meaning Differences with Is Surprising = 75
3.3. Formal Implementation = 77
3.3.1. λ-Categorial Languages = 77
3.3.2. The Semantics of Situations = 77
3.3.3. The Definition of Model for IL = 79
3.3.4. Relatively Minimal Situations =80
3.3.5. The Interpretation of Performance = 81
3.3.6. Rules for Ingo f -Nouns = 82
3.3.7. Rules for Gerundive Nominals = 85
3.4. Refining the Analysis = 86
3.4.1. Minimality and Temporal Contexts = 86
3.4.2. Telic vs Atelic Events = 90
3.4.2.1. The Classic Analysis of the Telic/Atelic Distinction and the Semantics of Situations = 92
3.4.2.2. The Incomplete Event Analysis of the Telic/Atelic Distinction and the Semantics of Situations = 93
3.4.2.3. John's performance of the Warsaw Concert began at 3 = 95
3.4.3. Conjunction of Event Nominals = 96
3.4.4. Individuation of Situations = 98
3.4.5. Summing up = 99
Notes = 100
CHAPTER FOUR - DISCUSSING THE ALTERNATIVES = 104
4.1. Aim of the Chapter = 104
4.2. Events as Propositional Entities = 104
4.2.1. Kim's (1979) Proposal = 104
4.2.1.1. Problems with Kim's Proposal = 106
4.2.2. Chierchia's (1987) Proposal = 110
4.3. Events and Propositions as Different Types = 112
4.3.1. Barwise & Perry's Approach = 112
4.3.2. Cresswell's Theory = 117
4.3.3. The Davidsonian Approach = 122
4.3.3.1. Davidson's Theory and Parsons's Theory = 122
4.3.3.2. Nominalization and the Davidsonian Approach = 123
4.3.3.3. Independent Evidence for the Davidsonian Approach = 124
4.3.3.4. The Davidsonian Approach and the Semantics of Situations = 126
4.3.3.5. Adverbial Modification Again = 126
4.3.3.6. Naked Infinitives = 131
Notes = 133
CHAPTER FIVE - THE SYNTACTIC AND SEMANTIC STATUS OF THE BY-PHRASE AND THE OF-PHRASE = 135
5.1. Aim of the Chapter = 135
5.2. Dowty's Proposal = 137
5.3. Three Problems for Dowty's Proposal = 142
5.3.1. First Problem: * the Dining of the Apple = 145
5.3.2. Second Problem: * the Destruction by the Enemy = 147
5.3.3. Third Problem: * il Cantare dell'Internazionale = 148
5.4. Grimshaw's (1986) Proposal = 155
5.4.1. Some Problems for Grimshaw's Proposal = 159
5.5. Exploring the Argument View = 162
5.5.1. Implicit Satisfaction Rules = 163
5.5.2. Constraining the Rules = 165
5.5.3. Lack of Exceptions to the Optionality of the By-Phrase = 166
5.5.4. Implicit Arguments of Nouns: Existentially Quantified Variables or Indexicals? = 167
5.6. Summing Up = 170
Notes = 170
CHAPTER SIX - THE PROPOSITIONAL INTERPRETATION OF NOUN PHRASES = 174
6.1. Aim of the Chapter = 174
6.2. The Selection Problem = 175
6.2.1. A Solution with Ambiguity = 175
6.2.2. Is There Independent Evidence for Ambiguity? Some Debatable Arguments = 176
6.2.2.1. Ramsey's Argument = 176
6.2.2.2. Another Argument from Paraphrasing = 178
6.2.2.3. An Argument from Negation = 184
6.2.3. Back to Vendler's Argument for Ambiguity = 187
6.2,4. A Problem for the Ambiguity Hypothesis = 189
6.2.5. A Solution Without Ambiguity = 190
6.2.6. A Problem for the Solution Without Ambiguity = 191
6.2.7. A Dilemma = 195
6.2.8. Ways of Escape = 195
6.2.8.1. A Pragmatic Solution = 195
6.2.8.2. Conceding Ambiguity = 198
6.2.9. Summing Up = 204
6.3. The Distribution Problem = 204
6.3.1. The Case for States of Affairs = 207
6.3.2. States of Affairs vs Case Marking = 208
6.3.3. More on States of Affairs and Propositions = 210
6.3.4. Implementing the Proposal = 211
6.3.4.1. Adding Ingredients = 212
6.3.4.2. The Interpretation of Gerundive Nominals = 212
6.3.4.3. The Propositional Interpretation of Derived NPs and Ingo f -NPs = 213
Notes = 216
CHAPTER SEVEN - ON CERTAIN PROPERTIES OF INFINTO SOSTANTIVATO = 219
7.1. Aim of the Chapter = 219
7.2. The Syntax of Infinito Sostantivato = 220
7.2.1. The NP-hood of Infinito Sostantivato = 220
7.2.2. The Types of Infinito Sostantivato = 222
7.2.2.1. N-infinitival NPs vs VP-infinitival NPs = 222
7.2.2.2. VP-infinitival NPs vs S-infinitival NPs = 227
7.2.3. Distinguo = 232
7.2.4. Wrinkles = 236
7.2.4.1. Lack of Objects = 236
7.2.4.2. Postposed Nominative Subjects = 237
7.2.4.3. Postposed Adjectives = 239
7.2.4.4. Reflexive and Intrinsic Clitics = 244
7.3. The Interpretations of Infinito Sostantivato = 248
7.3.1. The Interpretation of S-infinitival NPs = 248
7.3.2. The Interpretation of N-infinitival NPs = 251
7.3.3. The Interpretation of VP-infinitival NPs = 253
7.3.4. Open Problems = 256
Notes = 260
REFERENCES = 263
INDEX = 273
