Verbs

• Published in: Encyclopedia of Language & Linguistics Vol. 13; pp. 408 - 411
• Main Author: Viberg, Å.
• Format: Book Chapter Reference
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 2006
• Edition: Second Edition
• Subjects: aktionsart; argument structure; aspect; Frame Semantics; HUMANIORA och RELIGIONSVETENSKAP; HUMANITIES and RELIGION; Languages and linguistics; lexical semantics; lexicalization (of verbs); Lexicology; Linguistic subjects; linguistic typology; Linguistics; Lingvistik; Lingvistikämnen; mood; Morphology (Linguistics); motion verbs; nuclear verbs; perception verbs; reference tracking; Semantics; serial verbs; Språkvetenskap; Syntax; tense; Valency change; valency-changing derivations; verb; verbal agreement; Verbs; WordNet; valency-changing derivations; serial verbs; mood; reference tracking; WordNet; verbal agreement; nuclear verbs; lexicalization (of verbs); argument structure; motion verbs; Valency change; Frame Semantics; aspect; verbs; aktionsart; tense; perception verbs
• ISBN: 0080547842; 9780080547848; 0080448542; 9780080448541; 9780080442990; 0080442994
• DOI: 10.1016/B0-08-044854-2/00281-9

Conceptually, verbs are relational and describe change with a characteristic temporal contour. Lexicalization patterns of verbal concepts vary greatly across languages. Already the number of simple verb roots can vary between only around twelve up to several thousand. There is, however, a small core of concepts that have a strong tendency to be lexicalized as verbs in all languages. Crosslinguistically, interesting patterns have been identified with respect to polysemy and the way in which elementary meanings are combined in simple roots. Syntactically, verbs are central in the clause via their argument structure. Languages also tend to have one or more valency-changing derivations marked on verbs. The major inflectional categories are agreement or reference tracking and tense, mood, and aspect.