Syntax changing of the verb phrase from Shakespearian English to the present

Term Paper , 2008 , 20 Pages , Grade: 2

English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics

Blake states that Shakespeare is like food and that we take both very much for granted. It is only when we come across a passage of particular intensity in a play that we question how the language has been employed to achieve that result, just as it is only for exotic dishes that we enquire about the ingredients (1983:1).

It is definitely astonishing how the English Language has been influenced by this incredible playwright and poet. However, it is noticeable that the English Language has changed significantly since the Renaissance. Baugh and Cable (1993:235) argue that “the English grammar in the 16th and early 17th century is marked more by the survival of certain forms, constructions and usages that have since [then] disappeared than by any fundamental developments”.

Therefore, I want to show that the syntax of the verb phrase has changed since Elizabethan times. To achieve this, I will compare verb phrases in this term paper which occur in some of Shakespeare’s plays with Modern English verb phrases. First of all, I will define the term “verb phrase”. After that we will focus on transitive and intransitive verbs. Transitivity and intransitivity will be examined – and we will analyze how its usage has changed since Shakespearian times. Thirdly, I will talk about impersonal verbs and afterwards we will study reflexive verbs and the mediopassive. Finally, the passive, inchoative and reflexive meaning of transitive verbs will be discussed. The focus will be on the change or the disappearance of these constructions which occurred between the 16th century and today.

I will use some Shakespearian plays which will provide a basis in order to illustrate and to underline my arguments.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Introduction
• Syntax Changing of the Verb Phrase from Shakespearian English to the Present
  • The Verb Phrase
  • Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
  • Impersonal Verbs
  • Reflexive Verbs
  • Mediopassive (The Sentence Type "The book sells well")
  • Passive, Inchoative or Reflexive Meaning of Transitive Verbs
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Abbreviations

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This term paper aims to demonstrate the changes in the syntax of the English verb phrase from Shakespearian English to Present Day English. It will analyze the usage of transitive, intransitive, impersonal, and reflexive verbs, as well as the mediopassive, comparing their usage in Shakespeare's plays with their usage in Modern English.

• The evolution of the verb phrase structure in English
• The changing usage of transitive and intransitive verbs
• The development of impersonal verbs and their usage in different periods
• The role of reflexive verbs in Shakespearian and Modern English
• The mediopassive construction and its historical development

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The first chapter defines the term "verb phrase" and explores its syntactic structure, highlighting the distinction between finite and non-finite verb phrases. It also discusses the essential components of a verb phrase, including lexical verbs, auxiliaries, and adjuncts.

The second chapter focuses on the differences between transitive and intransitive verbs, explaining how Shakespeare used certain verbs intransitively that are now used transitively in Present Day English. It provides examples of this phenomenon and discusses the more flexible boundaries between transitive and intransitive verbs in Elizabethan English compared to Modern English.

• College: University of Freiburg
• Course: The Syntax and Semantics of the English Verb Phrase
• Grade: 2
• Author: Dominik Lorenz (Author)
• Publication Year: 2008
• Pages: 20
• Catalog Number: V115417
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640181063
• ISBN (Book): 9783640181117
• Language: English
• Tags: Syntax, Shakespearian, English, Syntax, Semantics, English, Verb, Phrase