Intransitive Predication [Paperback]

Stassen makes a major contribution to the study of language typology withIntransitive Predication. Basing his analysis on a sample of 410 languages, he presents a universally applicable model for defining the domain of intransitive predication in natural languages. Intransitive predicates are defined in terms of four domains: events (Sarah is walking), classes (Sarah is a secretary), properties (Sarah is tall), and locations (Sarah is in the garden).

Part I: The Typology
1. Introduction
2. The Verbal and the Locational Strategy
3. The Nominal Strategy
4. The Typology of Intransitive Predication
Part II. Switching
5. Adjective-Switching
6. Nominal and Locational Switching
7. Verb-Switching
8. Multiple Switching and Complex Cases
Part III. Tensedness
9. Adjectives and the Tensedness Parameter
10. Tensed Languages
11. Non-Tensed Languages
12. Problematic Cases
13. Evaluation and Explanation
Part IV. The Model
14. The Model of Intransitive Predicate Encoding
Conclusion
Appendices
References

The book is the result of a massive and thorough piece of work...bringing the reader with an impressive study of the subject. ... [A] (vast) contribution...to the field of Linguistics. --Linguist List