Chapter 5 - Verb Phrases(81) vP
v'
v VP
post 1 v DP V'
ed the letter V
t 1
From this perspective, then, the analysis of the passive involves replacing the agentive
light verb with a non-agentive passive light verb, most of the other aspects of the
passive construction follow straightforwardly from this.
A crucial point to make at this point is that this analysis of the passive would
simply be unavailable if we supposed that the structure of the active were to be (76)
and not (74). Inasmuch as this analysis helps us to understand the passivisation process
any better, then, it can be used as evidence in favour of the assumption of (74).
2.4.2 Extended projections
Yet if this is so, we still face the problem that the subject of an active transitive verb is
interpreted as the subject of that verb and not of some independent abstract light verb.
To understand this, it is essential to understand the relationship between light verbs
and thematic verbs in general. Recall that the semantic contribution of a light verb to a
construction is somewhat reduced from its full thematic usage:
(82) a I gave Charlotte chocolates
b I gave Kevin a kick in the pants
c I kicked Kevin in the pants
In (82a) the verb give is used fully thematically and it contributes its full descriptive
content to the whole sentence: the agent is in possession of the chocolates, and does
something (i.e. gives) that results in the recipient in possession of the chocolates. But
in (82b), where give is used as a light verb, it does not contribute its whole semantic
content. For example, it cannot be claimed that anything has been given here and
certainly Kevin does not end up in possession of a kick! Instead the main descriptive
content comes from the deverbal noun and hence the similarity of meaning of (82b)
and (c). It seems that semantically speaking, the complement of the light verb is the
main contributor to the construction and although light verbs do contribute something,
their contribution is often subtle and always dependent on the thematic complement.
This shows a very different relationship between a light verb and its complement and a
thematic verb and its complement. In the latter case, the thematic verb selects and
imposes restrictions on its complement whereas in the former, the light verb is in some
ways selected for and restricted by its complement: recall that unaccusative verbs do
not appear with the abstract causative light verb, but ergatives do. Suppose then that
the main semantic aspects of a light verb are determined by its thematic complement