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The grammar of the english verb phrase part 8

In part II (— sections 1.5 — 1.13) we briefly de¬fine our basic linguistic terms, such as 'situa¬tion1, 'verb phrase1, 'verb form1, etc. Since this study is intended as the first part of a multi-volume grammar, it seems necessary to us to make explicit the way in which we use such terms, despite the fact that readers will already be familiar with most of them, in order to avoid possible misunderstandings. | 42 1. Introduction 1.29.4 In this section the above distinctions are further illustrated. Informally we can say that the clause A stranger accosted me yesterday describes an action . However we can also say that the VP accosted me describes an action and that the verb accost describes an action . In order to speak precisely we need the distinctions made in the previous section a The verb accost denotes a simple situation-template. In isolation the verb refers to an abstract i. e. mentally conceived but not actualizing situation type. b The untensed verb phrase accost me denotes an enriched situation-template. This enriched template represents one possibility allowed for by the simple template accosting me is a semantic subtype of accosting. The untensed predicate constituent accost me yesterday denotes an even more enriched situation-template. In isolation a predicate constituent does not refer to actualization like the verb accost the predicate accost me yesterday does not by itself refer to an instance of actualization. The referent of a predicate constituent is an abstract situation type. c The finite tensed clause A stranger accosted me yesterday denotes a situation. We can think of this denotation i. e. the semantic meaning of the clause as something which is computed from the combination of the denotations of the predicate constituent accosted me yesterday and the subject. When the clause is uttered it has a referent it refers to a particular actualization of the situation. It is worth noting that a clause does not always have a referent in the actual real world it can also refer to i. e. assert deny question or hypothesize actualization in a nonfactual world such as a future or counterfactual world. Thus the conditional clause If John had written a poem last night . makes a supposition about the actualization of a situation viz. the situation of John writing a poem in a counterfactual world. 1.30 Terminological conventions for speaking about situations .