Leibniz-Zentrum Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft Leibniz-Gemeinschaft

Syntax circle: Symmetric Predicates as Comitatives

Speaker Kyle Johnson
Affiliaton(s) University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Date 11.05.2026, 15:00 - 16:30 Uhr
Time 15:00 o'clock
Venue ZAS, 10719 Berlin, Pariser Str. 1, Ilse-Zimmermann-Saal (Ground floor)

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Abstract

There is a class of verbs that have often been analyzed as involving an implicit reciprocal. They fall into two classes, those that are symmetric (like "date" and "meet") and those which are nearly symmetric (like "kiss" and "hug"). I will argue against their analysis as implicit reciprocals, and present an account of the symmetric class that gives a syntax for their symmetry.