Direct Objects Targets of Action Always DO

Direct Objects Targets of Action, …Always?

DO? This Image is Typically What comes to mind

Prototypical Direct Objects • Trial Definition: • The direct object NP of a sentence – is the NP which represents an entity – which, in the situation described by the sentence, – receives the action signified by the verb

Italicized Direct Objects Function as DOs • Elvis dented his motorized shopping cart • The dean scolded the misbehaving 3 rd-year students

In the Cafeteria • Professor David Cocksey and portly Anton Avgustovich ate light airy pastries (булочки) with the 3 rdyear students in the cafeteria

When better automobiles are built, Buick will build them Cultural Note: Since 1970, nobody in America drives Buicks…. also, such was the last time an American woman looked like this…

Not Quite… • Prototypical Direct Objects • Have the semantic “target for the transfer of action” property • But this property won’t work as a definition • Consider the range of “action” the word track “receives” • In the following situations:

William Jefferson Clinton Consider the Subject NP, above, with the VP + NP complement (direct object) painted built owned bought described saw left designed jogged the track

All Direct Objects? • Hard to see what action is “transferred” to the track • Especially by the action symbolized by described, saw or left • True, while something may happen to the track • When it is bought or owned • It’s safe to assume the action will be less than when painted

Like Subjects: a Range of Semantic Roles • PATIENT • INSTRUMENT • RECIPIENT • EFFECTED • The 3 rd-year Ss painted the classroom • Joe Magarace and Elvis used the wrench to loosen the nuts • Elvis paid the ticket agent 16 bucks • Lydia made a car out of soap

Cannot Be Purely Semantic • Since DO NPs can bear a range of semantic roles • We cannot reduce the concept DO to a pure semantic one • Hey, ain’t that “the King”?

Semantic Notions Insufficient Direct Object Subject • Since Direct objects can bear a range of Semantic roles • We cannot reduce the concept of DO • To a pure semantic notion • The news hit Polina hard. • Violet fell in love with Justin Bieber • The novel grew out of Ksenya’s fertile imagination • The door opened

Compare & Consider • The 3 rd-year students loaded the truck with hay • (of course, contemplating thorny grammar issues the entire time…) • The 3 rd-year students loaded hay onto the truck

The “affected” NP? • Objectively the sentences are nearly identical in meaning • Which is more affected, the hay or the truck? • Probably both equally affected • Which NP—the truck or hay—function as DO? • Presumably position of NP matters

Trial Definition • It seems that the position immediately after the verb • Is conducive to the interpretation of being most affected • We might as well define DO structurally • As being the grammatical relation of NP immediately after verb • The DO NP of a sentence is the first NP • To the right of the main verb of the sentence • And immediately dominated by V

The Entire NP is the DO The Direct object is the entire NP the fly which was tormenting him. We need the restriction that the NP Must be immediately dominated by V

No Longer will I brook such torment!

Logical and Superficial DO Logical (Underlying) DO • The motorized shopping cart was dented by Elvis • When better automobiles are built… • These italicized NP can’t function as DO • They are in the SUBJECT position • These are, in fact, the actual SUBJECTS • But are Logical DIRECT OBJECTS Superficial (Actual) DO • Elvis dented the motorized shopping cart • When [someone] builds [better automobiles] • Depassivizing the sentences • Brings out the real DOs • Again, we assume that active sentences are basic

Buick and Лада When better automobiles То что надо?

Still Not Sufficient • Defining Dos as NPs found in particular position • After Verbs • Immediately dominated by V (V bar) • Is an improvement over traditional semantic definitions • However it is still not sufficient • For one thing, the NPs following certain measurement verbs • Not labeled as DOs in traditional grammars

Measurement Verbs • Lady Gaga weighs 95. 25 kilograms • (and she stole Ksenya’s Primanti brothers sandwich off her) • Elvis’s donuts cost 50 cents. • Elvis’s пончики cost 15 rubles.

Intransitive Verbs • Certain intransitive verbs can be followed by to be or to seem • William Jefferson Clinton was a liar • Ilya seems a good learner • The main grammatical characteristic of DO NPs?

They Can Be Passivized • The main grammatical characteristic of DO NPs • Is they can be shifted to the front of the sentence • To become (“derived”) subjects • In passive sentences

Passives • Elyona will build a dream house in Moscow • A dream house in Moscow will be built by Elyona • Elvis and Polina must send those travel forms to New Jersey • Those travel forms must be sent to New Jersey by both Elvis and Polina

More Passives • The bear exchanged those socks for a tie at Tsoom • Those socks were exchanged by the bear for a tie at Tsoom • Irina, William Jefferson Clinton, and the Bear put the pencil in the drawer with my socks. • The pencil was put in the drawer with my socks by WJC, TB, and Irina.

Position Isn’t Everything • • *92. 5 kilograms is weighed by Lady Gaga *50 cents is costed by Elvis’s friggin’ donuts Elvis, Lady Gaga, and WJC jogged the track *The track was jogged by Elvis, Lady Gaga, and WJC *A liar was been by William Jefferson Clinton Because they can’t be passivized Even though they are in canonical DO position These NP don’t function as DO

S ss (That Phrases) • This evidence clearly suggested [ S that William Jefferson Clinton was the culprit] • Polina and Violet strongly believed [ S that everyone had a right to arm bears] • Every Russian over the age of 21 knows [ S that bears don’t walk around the streets of their great cities]

The Right to Arm Bears

…!…

S ss Are Passivizable • That William Jefferson Clinton was the culprit was clearly suggested by the evidence • Like subjects, DO need not be NPs • Unlike subjects, DO cannot be manifested by other Phrase types • *[PP In this bed] was slept by Monica Lewinsky and William Jefferson Clinton

A Direct Object NP is the first NP to the right of the verb, provided that NP is immediately dominated by V (V bar) and can be passivized

Certain Sentence Types Gaps in proper position to bear the relation of DO If the gaps were filled with the phrases moved Phrases would be passivizable

The Legend of Joe Magarace Joe Magarac is a pseudo-legendary American folk hero Алексей Григорьевич Стаханов? He was a steelworker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Fakelore • However, field research in the early 1950 s • Failed to uncover any traces of an oral tradition • Like the character Paul Bunyan • Unlike Стаханов • Probably belongs in the category of fakelore • Stories told folk-tale style

“You Dumb Magarac” • Favorite TOA (pejorative) of my father • Since magarac means “donkey” in South Slavic languages • Folklorists have speculated • That Joe Magarac was originally a satirical character