Editing Serial verb construction

{{Short description|Construction of verb compounds in some languages}}
{{Grammatical categories}}
The '''serial verb construction''', also known as '''(verb) serialization''' or '''verb stacking''', is a [[syntax|syntactic]] phenomenon in which two or more [[verb]]s or [[verb phrase]]s are strung together in a single [[clause]].<ref name="Tallerman">{{Cite book |last=Tallerman |first=Maggie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QmPBDwAAQBAJ&q=Serial+verb+bare |title=Understanding Syntax |date=2019-12-06 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-429-51674-0 |language=en}}</ref> It is a common feature of many [[African languages|African]], [[Asian languages|Asian]] and [[languages of Papua New Guinea|New Guinean]] languages. Serial verb constructions are often described as coding a single event;<ref name="Aikhenvald">Aikhenvald, A. and Dixon, R.M.W. (2005). ''Serial Verb Constructions: A cross-linguistic typology''. Oxford: Oxford University Press</ref><ref name="Lord">Lord, C. (1991). ''Historical Change in Serial Verb Constructions''. Amsterdam: John Benjamins</ref> they can also be used to indicate concurrent or causally-related events.

== Uses ==
The terms "serial verbs", "serialization", etc. are used by different authors to denote somewhat different sets of constructions. There are also differences in how the constructions are analyzed, in terms of both [[syntax]] and [[semantics]].

In general, a structure described as a serial verb construction will consist either of two (or possibly more) consecutive verbs or of two or more consecutive [[verb phrase]]s in which each verb may have its own [[object (grammar)|object]] and possibly other modifiers. There will usually be no marking, by means of [[affix]]es or [[subordinating conjunction]]s, that one verb is [[dependency grammar|dependent]] on the other, and they will not be linked by [[coordinating conjunction]]s. Some linguists insist that serial verbs cannot be dependent on each other; however, if a language does not mark dependent verbs with affixation, it can be hard to determine whether any dependency relation exists when verbs appear in sequence.<ref>{{cite book|last=Sebba|first=Mark|title=The Syntax of Serial Verbs: An Investigation Into Serialisation in Sranan and Other Languages|year=1987|publisher=John Benjamins Publishing|isbn=902725222X|pages=3–4}}</ref>

Serial verbs normally denote actions that are closely connected and can be considered to be part of the same event. They may be actions taking place simultaneously, or one may represent the cause, purpose or result of the other. In most cases, the serial verbs in a sequence are understood to share the same [[subject (grammar)|subject]].

Certain expressions resembling serial verb construction are found in English (surviving from [[Early Modern English]]), such as ''let's '''go eat''''' and '''''come live''' with me''.<ref name="Tallerman" /> In such constructions, the second verb would normally be regarded as a [[uses of English verb forms#Bare infinitive|bare infinitive]] (and can generally be replaced by a "full" infinitive by the insertion of ''to'' before it).

== Examples with consecutive verbs ==

The next sentence in [[Persian language|Persian]] contains 19 consecutive verbs:<ref name="khabaronline">{{cite web |title=عجایب زبان فارسی/ به‌کارگیری ۱۹ فعل در یک جمله!|url=https://www.khabaronline.ir/news/1280476/%D8%B9%D8%AC%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%A8-%D8%B2%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B3%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%87-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%DA%AF%DB%8C%D8%B1%DB%8C-%DB%B1%DB%B9-%D9%81%D8%B9%D9%84-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D8%AC%D9%85%D9%84%D9%87 |website=khabaronline}}</ref>

{{lang|fa|داشتم، می‌رفتم، دیدم، گرفته، نشسته، گفتم، بذار، بپرسم، ببینم، می‌آد، نمی‌آد، دیدم، می‌گه، نمی‌خوام، بیام، می‌خوام، برم، بگیرم، بخوابم!}}

which means, ''I '''was heading''' and I '''saw''' she/he '''is sitting''', I '''thought''' to '''ask''' to '''see''' whether he would '''come''' or wouldn't '''come''', I '''figure out''' "I don't '''want''' to '''come''', and I '''want''' to '''go''' '''get''' some '''sleep'''" he said!''

The following example of serialization comes from the [[Nupe language]] from Nigeria:<ref name="Tallerman" />

{{interlinear|indent=2|lang = nup
|Musa bé lá èbi.
|Musa came took knife
|"Musa came to take the knife."}}

The two verbs ''bé'' and ''lá'' appear consecutively, with no linking word (like "and") or anything else to indicate that one verb is [[subordinate clause|subordinate]] to the other. The [[subject (grammar)|subject]], "Musa", is understood to apply to both verbs. In this example, the second verb also has a [[direct object]]. Note that in the English version given, the second verb is translated by an [[infinitive]], "to take", which is marked as subordinate to the first verb.

Depending on the language, the shared subject may be marked on both verbs or only one. In most of the examples, it is marked only once. However, in the following example from the [[Baré language|Baré]], in the Upper Amazon, the first person singular subject ("I") is marked twice:<ref name="Tallerman" />

{{interlinear|indent=2|lang = bae
|nu-takasã nu-dúmaka.
|deceived(1SG) sleep(1SG)
|"I pretended (that) I was asleep."}}

A similar construction is also found in most varieties of [[dialectal Arabic]]. The following example is from [[Lebanese Arabic]]:

{{interlinear|indent=2|lang = ar
|ṣurt jarrib aḥki inglīzi
|became(1SG) try(1SG) speak(1SG) English
|"I started trying to speak English."}}

As a rule, serial verbs cannot be marked independently for [[grammatical category|categories]] such as [[grammatical tense|tense]], [[grammatical aspect|aspect]] and [[grammatical mood|mood]]. Either all of the verbs are marked for the same features, or a sole marker is shared by all of them.<ref name="Tallerman" /> In the [[Hindi language|Hindi]] {{Langx|hi|फ़ोन उठा-कर कहा|label=none}} ''{{Transliteration|Deva|fon uṭhā-kar kahā}}'' (literally, phone pick-up say (PAST)), "picked up the phone and said", only the second verb is marked as past tense, but both are understood to refer to the past. In the following example, from the West African [[Ewe language|Ewe]], both verbs appear in their [[perfective]] form:

{{interlinear|indent=2|lang = ee
|Kofí trɔ dzo kpoo
|Kofi turn(PFV) leave(PFV) quietly
|"Kofi turned and left quietly."}}

In [[Japanese grammar|Japanese]], two verbs may come together with the first verb in the continuative form ({{Langx|ja|連用形|translit=ren'yōkei}}), as in {{Nihongo|2=押し通る|3=oshitōru}} ("push through"), in which ''oshi'' is the continuative form of ''osu'' ("push"), and ''tōru'' ("get through") is a finite form whose [[present tense]] and [[indicative mood]] are understood to apply to ''oshi''. Similarly, {{Nihongo|2=飛び込む|3=tobikomu}} ("jump in") in which ''tobi'' is from ''tobu'' ("jump"), and ''komu'' means "go in"; {{Nihongo|2=出来上がる|3=dekiagaru}} ("be completed"), where ''deki'' is from ''dekiru'' ("be able to be done") and ''agaru'' means "rise, be offered". No [[argument (linguistics)|argument]]s can come between the two verbs in this construction (in contrast to those described in the following section).

In the case of [[negation (linguistics)|negation]], only one negator can be applied to the whole serial construction, as in the following Baré example:<ref name="Tallerman" />

{{interlinear|indent=2| lang = bae
|hena nihiwawaka nu-tšereka nu-yaka-u abi
|NEG go(1SG) speak(1SG) mother(1SG) with
|"I am not going to talk with my mother."}}

In [[Chinese grammar|Chinese]], as in [[Southeast Asia]]n languages, when a [[transitive verb]] is followed by an [[intransitive verb]], the object of the combined verb may be understood as the object of the first verb and the subject of the second: {{Lang-zh|c=老虎咬死了張|s=|t=|p=lǎohǔ yǎosǐ le Zhāng|l=tiger bite-die PERF Zhang|labels=no}} "the tiger bit Zhang to death", where ''Zhang'' is understood as the [[direct object]] of ''yǎo'' ("bite") but as the subject of ''sǐ'' ("die"). In the equivalent construction in Hindi, the one who dies would be the tiger, not Zhang.  (See [[Chinese grammar]] for more.)

In the following example from [[Maonan language|Maonan]], a language spoken in southwestern China, up to ten verbs co-occur in a sentence coding a single event without any linking words, coordinating conjunctions or any other markings:<ref>Lu, Tian Qiao (2008). ''A Grammar of Maonan''. Boca Raton, Florida: Universal Publishers. {{ISBN|978-1-59942-971-7}}. p246.</ref>

{{interlinear|indent=2|lang=jig
|ɦe2	sə:ŋ3	lət8	pa:i1	dzau4	van6	ma1	ɕa5	vɛ4	kau5	fin1	kam5	
|1SG	want	walk	go	take	return	come	try	do	look	accomplish {{gcl|PCL:Q|particle: question}}	
|"Could I walk there to bring (it) back and try (it)?"}}

In [[Santali language|Santali]], apart from serial compound verbs, there is a rare serial verb construction that denotes distinct sub-events/quasi-synonymous events of the same situation and also serializes TAM/person in the syntagmas, where the pronominal object markers appear twice but the indicative marker occurs only once in the final verb.

{{Interlinear|indent=3|bhəgtɛ{{=}}ko raɽa-led-e ɲam-led-e uni tərup' dɔ{{=}}e rɔr-gɔt-ked-a|quickly{{=}}3PL.SUBJ release-ACT.ANT-3SG.OBJ find-ACT.ANT-3SG.OBJ that.ANIM leopard TOP{{=}}3SG.SUBJ speak-AUX-ACT.AOR-FIN|"No sooner had they let him out and found him than the leopard said."}}

== Examples with intervening elements between verbs ==
In some languages that have verb serialization, the verbs must appear consecutively with nothing intervening. In other languages, however, it is possible for arguments, normally the [[object (grammar)|object]] of one of the verbs, to come in between the serialized verbs. The resulting construction is a sequence of [[verb phrase]]s rather than of plain verbs. The following example is from the Nigerian [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]]:<ref name="Tallerman" />

{{interlinear|indent=2| lang = yo
|ó mú ìwé wá
|he took book came
|"He brought the book."}}

The object of the first verb intervenes between the verbs, resulting in two consecutive verb phrases, the first meaning "took the book", the second "came". As before, the subject ("he" in this case) is understood to apply to both verbs. The combined action of taking the book and coming can be translated as "bringing" the book.

A serial verb construction may be used to introduce an [[actant]] ("money" in the following example, from [[Akan language|Akan]] of West Africa){{Citation needed|date=October 2021}}:

{{interlinear|indent=2| lang = ak
|Aémmaá de sikaá maá Kofä
|Amma take money give Kofi
|"Amma gives Kofi money."}}

In [[Japanese language|Japanese]] also, strings of verb phrases can be created, often denoting events that are related causally or in time. Such strings may be translated into English by using "and", "while", "(in order) to" or other connectives, but some may have a more compact translation, as in the following example (from [[Hayao Miyazaki]]'s ''[[Mononoke Hime]]'') in which the actions of "following" and "coming" are simultaneous{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}}:

{{fs interlinear|indent = 2|lang = ja
|足跡 を たどって 来た
|ashi-ato o tadotte kita
|footprint OBJ following came
|"I followed him here."}}

== Contrast with compound verbs ==
A distinction is sometimes made between serial verbs and [[compound verb]]s (also known as ''complex predicates''). In a compound verb, the first element (verb or noun) generally carries most of the [[semantic]] load, while the second element, often called a ''[[vector verb]]'' ([[light verb]]) or ''explicator verb'', provides fine distinctions (such as speaker attitude or [[grammatical aspect]]) and carries the [[inflection]] (markers of [[grammatical tense|tense]], [[grammatical mood|mood]] and [[agreement (grammar)|agreement]]). The first element may be a verb in conjunctive [[participle]] form, as in [[Hindi language|Hindi]] and [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]. For example, in [[Hindustani grammar|Hindi]], in the second example below, लिया (''liyā'') (from the verb लेना ''lenā'' "to take") is a vector verb that indicates a completed action which is done for one's own benefit, and खा (''khā'') "eat" is the main or primary verb. In the third example below, डाला (''ḍālā'') (from the verb डालना ''ḍālnā'' "to put" or "to insert") is the vector verb, which indicates recklessness, gruesomeness, or an unwanted action. Both खा लिया (''khā liyā'') and खा डाला (''khā ḍālā'') alternate with the corresponding perfective form of the main verb (in this case, खाया ''khāyā'' "ate") under partly specifiable semantic and pragmatic conditions.
{|
|{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = hi 
|उसने आम खाया 
|usne ām khāyā|he/she.ERG mango.NOM.M eat.PFV.M
| "he/she ate the ''mango''"}}
|-
|{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = hi 
|उसने आम खा लिया 
|usne ām khā liyā|he/she.ERG mango.NOM.M eat.NF take.PFV.M
| "he/she finished eating the mango"}}
|-
|{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = hi 
|उसने आम को खा डाला  |usne ām ko khā ḍālā|he/she.ERG mango.OBL.M ACC eat.NF put.PFV.M
| "he/she devoured the mango" }}
|}
Negating the compound verbs in the [[indicative mood]] usually suppresses the vector verb in favor of their non-compound counterparts. This following sentence makes use of the vector verb लेना (''lenā'') "to take", which is dropped in the negative: 
{|
|{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = hi  
|*उसने आम नहीं खा लिया|*usne ām nahī̃ khā liyā
|he/she.ERG mango.NOM.M NEG.IND eat.NF take.PFV.M
| intendedː "he/she did not eat the mango"}}
|-
|{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = hi  
|उसने आम नहीं खाया 
|usne ām nahī̃ khāyā
|he/she.ERG mango.NOM.M NEG.IND eat.PFV.M
| "he/she did not eat the ''mango''"}}
|}
However, compound verbs in the [[subjunctive mood]] retain the vector verbs when negated. 
{|
|{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = hi  
|उसने आम खा ना लिया हो 
|usne ām khā nā liyā ho
|he/she.ERG mango.NOM.M eat.NF NEG.SUBJ take.PFV be.3S.SUBJ.PRS
| "(I hope that) he/she hasn't eaten the mango"}}
|-
|{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = hi  
|उसने आम खा ना डाला हो 
|usne ām khā nā ḍālā ho
|he/she.ERG mango.NOM.M eat.NF NEG.SUBJ put.PFV be.3S.SUBJ.PRS
| "(I hope that) he/she hasn't devoured the mango"}}
|}

== See also ==
* [[Genitive construction]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Sources ==
*Aikhenvald, Alexandra Y. and R.M.W. Dixon. 2006. ''Serial Verb Constructions: a cross-linguistic typology.'' (Explorations in Linguistic Typology, 2.) Oxford: Oxford University Press. 
*Crowley, Terry. 2002. ''Serial Verbs in Oceanic: A Descriptive Typology.'' Oxford: Oxford University Press.
* [[Martin Haspelmath|Haspelmath]], Martin. 2016. [https://zenodo.org/record/225842 The serial verb construction: Comparative concept and cross-linguistic generalizations]. ''Language and Linguistics'' 17(3). 291–319. DOI:http://doi.org/10.1177/2397002215626895.

==External links==
* [http://www.akan.org/akan_cd/ALIAKAN/course/U8-Grammar-p10.html Akan.org Teleteaching course, serial verbs subsection]
* [https://glossary.sil.org/term/serial-verb-construction SIL LinguaLink on Serial Verbs]
*{{cite web
	| url = https://grambank.clld.org/parameters/GB118#top
	| title = Are there serial verb constructions?
	| last1 = Collins
	| first1 = Jeremy
	| last2 = Latarche
	| first2 = Jay
	| year = 2023
	| access-date = 2024-02-19
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Serial Verb Construction}}
[[Category:Syntactic entities]]
[[Category:Verb types]]
[[Category:Grammatical construction types]]