Middle voice: The case of Spanish se

• Main Author: Maldonado Soto, Ricardo
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Subjects: linguistics

This work analyzes from the perspective of Cognitive Grammar (Langacker 1987, 1991) the semantic/syntactic composition of the clitic se in Spanish. From this perspective meaning is equated with conceptualization and the view of syntax as an independent entity, empty of meaning is rejected. I analyze a variety of se constructions, their motivations and interconnections. As opposed to other analyses which see many instances of se as categorially meaningless and idiosyncratic, I claim that all the functions of the clitic se are meaningful and well motivated. I propose that most meanings that have resisted a clear explanation belong to the middle domain: a cognitive area involving an intricate network of related meanings which are in contrast with both transitive and root intransitive constructions. Middles constitute a transitivity decrease from transitive constructions and a transitivity increase from root intransitive verbs. As proposed by Kemmer (1988), middles contrast with reflexives in having a low degree of disitinguishability among participants. I claim that this fact also imposes a restricted characterization of the event, such that the conceptualization of the subject, the object or the process itself is rendered more schematic. The restrictive character of middle se explains naturally the use of se to designate meanings involving benefaction, emphatic participation, uncontrolled acts, unplanned occurrences, sudden events, counter-expected happenings and other meanings which depart from the prototypical transitive conceptualization of world events.
Chapter I constitutes a revision of the literature. Chapter II offers a characterization of the middle experiencer for verbs of cognition, perception and emotion. Chapter III proposes the notion of objective proximity for analyzing middles involving body parts and clothing elements as opposed to extrinsic objects. Chapter IV suggests that linguistic proximity determines benefactive constructions. Chapter V explains the passive/impersonal continuum as involving different degrees of schematicity and prominence of the initiator. Chapter VI explores se's focussing function and the incorporation of the speaker's expectations in grammatical constructions as a consequence of the absolute/energetic contrast. The concluding chapter shows the organization of the complex network of related meanings involved in the middle domain.