A microparametric approach on goal of motion constructions: properties of adpositional systems in Romance and Germanic

Abstract

This paper explores the idea that the properties of adpositional systems can suffice to explain the Talmian distinction between satellite and verb framed languages. Following the insight that morphological simple prepositions in Romance languages are only locative, I propose that the functional domain of the directional/path preposition is defective and, hence, has to be licensed via incorporation to the (motion) verb. Prepositional incorporation, understood as head movement, prevents manner incorporation, as a particular case of Kayne’s (1994) condition on adjunction. The paper offers an account for Talmian lexicalization patterns from a non lexicalist perspective, reducing typological differences between languages to specific properties within the functional domain of lexical heads.