Verb complexes in Thai

Abstract

This dissertation is a comprehensive study of Thai verb complexes which are not semantic arguments of the main predicate of a clause. These non-argument verb complexes are classified into three groups: 1) Directional Serial Verb Constructions, 2) Aspectual Constructions, and 3) Adjoining Constructions. Verb complexes in Directional Serial Verb Constructions encode motion-related situations. Since Thai lacks morphology Thai marks aspect by using distinct aspectual words in either pre-verbal or post-verbal positions. I call the constructions which contain aspect-marking elements, Aspectual Constructions. Adjoining Constructions are composed of verb complexes linked by causal chains and are similar to Resultative Constructions found in English and other languages. However, the result of the causal event in a Thai Adjoining Construction is unique in the sense that it is merely an expectation. Using Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar and Minimal Recursion Semantics as theoretical frameworks, I present analyses of the three types of verb complexes. I illustrate how these three types of verb complexes are syntactically manifested and how

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