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2.3.2. Verbs of Transition |
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This class of verbs presupposes some state obtaining before the speech time, and some transition away from that state: |
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stop: [Sw0t-1 DO (Ow0t-1)]Sw0t0~DO (Ow0t0) |
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start: [Sw0t-1~DO (Ow0t-1)]Sw0t0 DO (Ow0t0) |
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For the verb interrupt, we need two different Subjects, the Subject of the action of interrupting, and the Subject of the interrupted action: |
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[S1w0t-1 DO (Ow0t-1)]S2w0t0 CAUSE S1w0t0 (~DO (Ow0t0)) |
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Similarly we will represent wake up: |
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[S1w0t-1 SLEEP]S2w0t0 CAUSE (S1w0t0~SLEEP) |
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clean: [Ow0t-1 DIRTY]S1w0t0 CAUSE (Ow0t0~DIRTY) |
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As we said before, when the description associated with the word does not fit a specific situation because the presuppositions are not satisfied, the word is not appropriate, and we have a metalinguistic negation, as in (19): |
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(19) S: Do you know whether Mary cleaned the room today? |
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A: She didn't clean the room because it was not dirty. I cleaned it yesterday, so there was nothing to clean. |
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regret: [Ow0]Sw0t0 SUFFER (Ow0)Sw0t0 WISH (Ow0 BECOME Owj) |
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The Subject, in the actual world and at the speech time, presupposes that the Object which he refers to is real, at an indeterminate time. The Subject, who regrets, suffers because of O, and he would like this state of the actual world to become only the state of a merely possible world (that is, he wishes O were not actual). |
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Other factive verbs have similar presuppositional descriptions, for example, be aware of, comprehend, have in mind, take into consideration, make clear, and so on. |
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For remember and forget, it seems necessary to distinguish between remember to (and forget to) and remember that (and forget that). Remem- |
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