Chapter 5 - Verb Phrasesbe assigned is the theme, if there is one. As this can be assigned to the specifier of the
thematic verb it will be. Next the experiencer -role must be assigned, providing there
is one. This can only be assigned to the specifier of a light verb so the thematic verb
will extend its projection to include a light verb and the experiencer -role will be
assigned to its specifier. Finally, if there is an agent, again this can only be assigned to
the specifier of a light verb and hence will force the verb to extend its projection. If
there already is an extended projection, a second light verb will be added to
accommodate the agent. Thus, the agent will always be higher in the structure than the
experiencer and theme.
2.5 Intransitive verbs
Intransitive verbs are verbs with one argument, but unlike unaccusatives this argument
is either an agent or an experiencer, i.e. one of the -roles assigned to the specifier of a
light verb. Accordingly then, we may analyse them as involving the following
structure:
(99) vP
DP v'
v VP
e V'
V
The one argument will move to the subject position in order to get Case and
presumably the verb will move to support the light verb.
Examples of intransitives are as follows:
(100) a Sam smiled
b Jerry danced
c Richard died
d Stan slept
Recall that one mark of an intransitive verb, as opposed to an unaccusative, is its
ability to take a cognate object:
(101) a Sam smiled an evil smile
b Jerry danced a merry dance
c Richard died a tragic death
d Stan slept a restless sleep
Given the structure in (101) a number of possible analyses of cognate objects suggest
themselves. One is to assume that these are like theme arguments, though obviously
highly restricted by the thematic verb and hence they appear in the specifier of the VP
and end up behind the verb when it raises to the light verb position: