Advances in Role and Reference Grammar

210 MARK HANSELL

simply the definitional distinction that "freely productive" equals "syntac­

tic" and "restricted" equals "lexical", it involves the question of semantic

interpretation processes. For instance, a lexicalized VO compound like

chïcù ("eat" + "vinegar" = "be jealous") can be said to have no internal

structure as far as semantic interpretation is concerned, and the fact that it

follows the basic word order of clausal syntax has to do with its history of

derivation, not with any synchronic processes.

3.2 Valence

Another property of CCs that verb compounds don't share is the ability to

increase valence through unshared arguments. While V+V compounds are

restricted to combining transitive with transitive verbs or intransitives with

intransitives, CCs can combine transitive and intransitive verbs to increase

the number of arguments. For example:

(27) a. Wo jiàoxùn tä.

I teach-a-lesson him

"I teach him a lesson."

b. Wo jiäo tä.

I teach him

"I teach him."

 Wo xùn tä.

I train him

"I train/chide him."

(28) a. Wo da si ta.

I hit die him

"I beat him to death."

b. Wo da tä.

I hit him

"I beat him."

c.  sí.

he die

"He dies."

(29) .   hóng le yänjlng.

he cry red ASP eye

"He cried his eyes red."