@lvc: Light Verb Construction #

Universal #

A light verb construction (LVC) is a type of verbal structure in which a verb is coupled with another element – typically a noun phrase – which provides the primary semantic value. Common examples of LVCs in English include take a walk, give a kiss, or have a drink. In SUD, LVCs are marked with the deep feature @lvc.

Note that in case of a LVC, the arguments of the LVC attached to the predicative noun are compand not udep.

Light verb construction (French)

The complements of these constructions are sometimes attached to the noun rather than the verb because:

• the noun can form a phrase with the complement: the projectile has the tendency to get in the way → this tendency to get in the way needs to be resolved
• it’s the noun that is the predicate and controls the valency. In the previous example, has is a binary predicate, not a ternary predicate.

This first criterion explains the differing interpretations of the following two sentences. A date with his girlfriend forms a perfectly coherent phrase which allows for reformulations such as the date with his girlfriend, it was pleasant. However, part in the discussion is less semantically transparent and therefore less prone to such reformulations. Because of this, the verb take is treated as the head of the complement.

Attachment of dependents of the LVC (English)

See issue #5 for a discussion about light verb construction annotation in SUD.

Overview #

Specific Pattern #