Although the idea of valency is not new in the field of linguistics, it seems to have received
relatively little attention up to now. Lucien Tesnière, who became known as the developer of
the so called “dependency grammar”, was one of the first linguists who described the
capacity of a verb to bind a certain number of “actants”1 (cf. Tesnière 1980, 385-386). In his
posthumously published book “Eléments de syntaxe structurale”2 (1959) he called this
phenomenon “valency”. Later on, other linguists adopted his notion, modified and adapted it.
One of these linguists is Peter Eisenberg, a German philologist, who wrote some recent
works on grammar in which the role of verb valency is often in the center of attention.
Because a period of thirty years had passed since Tesnière’s first attempt to define the
phenomenon of valency in linguistics, Eisenberg’s approach is a lot more detailed and
includes different criteria for he had the opportunity to contribute his knowledge of other
theories which were created after Tesnière’s book had been published.
This term paper will draw a comparison of two works written by the authors mentioned
above with special regard to the words which are dependent on verbs. Since the verb is often
in the center of attention when the notion of valency is concerned, the group of the other
words which are “governed” by the verb does not seem to be examined in the same way.
Furthermore there does not even seem to be a standard term for such words (perhaps except
for “arguments” (cf. Meyer 2005, 30), but even the notion of arguments is used in diverse
ways), so that I will use the word “dependents” to refer to every possible linguistic element
which can be bound by a verb.
The main aim of this paper will not only be to provide a small overview of dependents in
valency theories, but also to illustrate the pros and cons of each of these theories in a
comparison at the end.
To introduce the reader into the topic, a small overview of the notion of valency will be
given at the beginning of the term paper. Later on, the most important aspects concerning
dependents of both theories will be presented separately. After having compared the two
works, pointed out the main discrepancies and having stated their benefits respectively their
deficiencies, a final conclusion will be given.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Overview of the Notion of Valency
- 3. The Concept of Valency According to Tesnière
- 3.1 "Subordonnés"
- 4. The Concept of Valency According to Eisenberg
- 4.1 „Ergänzungen“
- 5. Comparison
- 6. Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This term paper aims to compare the valency theories of Tesnière and Eisenberg, focusing on the words dependent on verbs. It will examine the strengths and weaknesses of each theory and apply them to English examples. The paper will also provide an overview of the concept of valency itself.
- The concept of valency in linguistics
- Tesnière's theory of valency and its key components
- Eisenberg's theory of valency and its key components
- A comparison of Tesnière's and Eisenberg's approaches
- Analysis of verb dependents in both theories
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter establishes the relatively recent focus on valency in linguistics, highlighting the contributions of Tesnière and Eisenberg. It emphasizes the lack of a standard term for words dependent on verbs, opting for "dependents," and clarifies the paper's objective: to compare these theories and their application to English, focusing on the "dependents" of verbs. The chapter sets the stage for a detailed examination of each linguistic theory and their respective approaches to understanding valency.
2. Overview of the Notion of Valency: This chapter traces the etymology of "valency," originating from the Latin "valēre," and its subsequent adoption in chemistry and linguistics. It establishes the core concept of valency—the capacity of a word (primarily verbs in this paper) to combine with others. The chapter emphasizes the verb's central role in sentence structure, noting the inconsistencies in defining and classifying verb dependents across different linguistic theories, which sets the context for the subsequent detailed analyses of Tesnière's and Eisenberg's perspectives.
3. The Concept of Valency According to Tesnière: This section introduces Tesnière's dependency grammar, focusing on his notions of "régissant" (governing) and "subordonné" (subordinate) elements within a sentence. It explains Tesnière's concept of the "nexus," a unit consisting of a governing word and its dependents. A crucial part of this chapter explains the categorization of dependents into "actants" (arguments) and "circonstants" (additions). The chapter highlights Tesnière's classification of verbs based on the number of actants they govern (avalent, etc.), providing concrete examples to illustrate the application of his framework.
3.1 "Subordonnés": This subchapter, nested within Chapter 3, delves into Tesnière's detailed classification of "subordonnés," specifically "actants." It details how Tesnière identifies and distinguishes the three types of actants based on their grammatical function within a sentence (subject, direct object, indirect object), emphasizing that verbs can have up to three actants and explains what an avalent verb is. The examples provided underscore the practical application of Tesnière's system for analyzing sentence structure.
Keywords
Verb valency, dependency grammar, Tesnière, Eisenberg, actants, circonstants, dependents, arguments, complements, sentence structure, linguistic theory.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comparison of Tesnière and Eisenberg's Valency Theories
What is the main topic of this term paper?
This term paper compares the valency theories of Lucien Tesnière and Peter Eisenberg, focusing on how they analyze words dependent on verbs. It examines the strengths and weaknesses of each theory and illustrates them with English examples. The paper also provides a general overview of the concept of valency itself.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
The paper explores the concept of valency in linguistics, details Tesnière's and Eisenberg's theories and their key components, compares their approaches, and analyzes verb dependents within both frameworks. It investigates the terminology used to describe words dependent on verbs and the inconsistencies across different linguistic theories.
What is valency in linguistics?
Valency, derived from the Latin "valēre," refers to the capacity of a word (primarily verbs in this context) to combine with other words in a sentence. It describes the number and type of dependents a verb requires to form a grammatically complete sentence.
Who are Tesnière and Eisenberg, and what are their contributions?
Lucien Tesnière is known for his dependency grammar, which focuses on the relationships between words in a sentence, using terms like "régissant" (governing) and "subordonné" (subordinate). Peter Eisenberg offers an alternative perspective on valency, and the paper explores the key differences and similarities between their approaches.
How does Tesnière's theory of valency work?
Tesnière's theory uses the concept of a "nexus," a unit comprising a governing word and its dependents. He categorizes dependents into "actants" (arguments, essential to the meaning) and "circonstants" (additions, not essential). He classifies verbs based on the number of actants they govern (e.g., avalent, monovalent, etc.).
What are "actants" and "circonstants" in Tesnière's system?
In Tesnière's framework, "actants" are essential arguments of a verb, corresponding roughly to the subject, direct object, and indirect object. "Circonstants," on the other hand, are additional elements that provide circumstantial information but are not crucial for the core meaning of the sentence.
What is the focus of the comparison between Tesnière and Eisenberg's theories?
The paper focuses on comparing how both theories classify and analyze words dependent on verbs, highlighting similarities and differences in their approaches to identifying and categorizing these dependents. The analysis emphasizes the application of both theories to English examples.
What is the conclusion of the paper?
The conclusion summarizes the key findings of the comparison between Tesnière's and Eisenberg's valency theories. It likely highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and potentially offers an overall assessment of their usefulness in analyzing English sentence structure. (The specific conclusion is not detailed in the provided summary).
What are some key terms used in the paper?
Key terms include verb valency, dependency grammar, actants, circonstants, dependents, arguments, complements, sentence structure, and the names of the linguists, Tesnière and Eisenberg.
What is the purpose of the chapter summaries?
The chapter summaries provide concise overviews of the content of each chapter, outlining the key concepts and arguments presented in each section of the term paper.
- Quote paper
- Ilona Sontag (Author), 2008, Verb Valency - The dependents of the verb, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/117073
