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Transitive be perfect : An experimental study of Canadian English

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2016

Yuri Yerastov
Yuri Yerastov*
Affiliation:
Kutztown University Of Pennsylvania
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Abstract

This article investigates exemplars of the transitive be perfect in Canadian English, such as I am done dinner and I am finished my homework. I report on an experimental study of acceptability judgments of this construction, given by speakers of Canadian English primarily recruited from the Calgary area. I claim that the construction [be done NP] is characterized by preference for the animacy of the subject, preference for definiteness of the direct object, open-endedness of the direct object slot, and limited variability of the participle. I conclude that [be done NP] is a partially schematic construction that is close to a “prefab”.

Résumé

Résumé

Cet article étudie des exemples du parfait transitif avec l’auxiliaire be en anglais canadien, comme dans I am done dinner et I am finished my homework. L’article rend compte d’une étude expérimentale dans laquelle étaient sollicités des jugements d’acceptabilité portant sur des exemples de cette construction fournis par des locuteurs d’anglais canadien recrutés surtout dans la région de Calgary. Sur la base de cette étude, j’affirme que la construction [be done SN] est caractérisée par une préférence pour un sujet animé, une préférence pour la définitude du complément d’objet direct, le caractère ouvert du complément d’objet direct et la variabilité limitée du participe. Je tire la conclusion que [be done SN] est une construction partiellement schématique qui ressemble plutôt à une construction “toute faite”.

Keywords

dialects of EnglishCanadian Englishtransitive be perfectconstructionschematicitydialectes d’anglaisanglais canadienparfait transitif avec be, constructionschématicité
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Linguistics/Revue canadienne de linguistique , Volume 57 , Issue 3 , November 2012 , pp. 427 - 457
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Linguistic Association/Association canadienne de linguistique 2012 

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