Verb-Second and Backformations and Scalar Prefix Verbs in German: The Interaction between Morphology, Syntax and Phonology

Verb-Second and Backformations and Scalar Prefix Verbs in German: The Interaction between Morphology, Syntax and Phonology Andrew McIntyre ([email protected]; www.uni-leipzig.de/~angling/mcintyre) 1. Introduction This study discusses the theoretical consequences of the following phenomena: Defective backformations: some backformed verbs in German resist verb-second (judgements vary from ? to *): (1) a. sie möchte BAUCHTANZEN 'she wants to bellydance' b. *sie BAUCHTANZT oft/*sie TANTZT oft BAUCH 'she bellydances often' c. Source: Bauchtänzerin 'bellydancer' or das Bauchtanzen 'bellydancing' (2) a. er kann nicht BRUCHRECHNEN 'he can not long-divide' b. *er RECHNET nicht BRUCH/*er BRUCHRECHNET nicht 'he doesn't long-divide' c. Source: das Bruchrechnen 'long division' These should be contrasted with conversions based on compounds, which in no wise resist V2: (3) a. ich frühstücke 'I breakfast' (<Frühstück "early-piece", 'breakfast') b. er schulmeistert 'he behaves in a schoolmasterly way' (<Schulmeister 'schoolmaster') Scalar prefixation: Distinguish meanings of the prefix and the particle über (similar data are found with unter 'under'): (4) über as a prefix (various meanings, including the following reading, called the scalar reading, Risch 1995): sie ÜBERluden den Wagen 'they overloaded the car' sie ÜBERarbeitet sich 'she overworks (herself)' sie ÜBERschätzt sich 'she overestimates (herself)' sie ÜBERfordert sich 'she overchallenges (herself)' (5) über as a particle (no scalar readings; cf. the appendix on apparent counterexamples), various other meanings including: a. overflowing: die Milch KOCHTE schnell ÜBER 'the milk soon boiled over' b. transfer: er WECHSELTE zu einer anderen Partei ÜBER 'he changed over to another party' ♦ The prefix variant is unstressed and inseparable. Exception: if über is followed by an unstressed syllable, it receives stress, cf. (6). In some, but not all, cases, the stressless syllable is a second prefix. (6) überdestillieren, überdosieren, überstrapazieren; überbeanspruchen, überbelasten, überbelegen, überbelichten, überbeschäftigen, überemotionalisieren, überentwickeln, überernähren, , überversichern ♦ In such cases, there is indecision on what to do in V2 contexts. There is either separation or non-separation of the prefix; often both options sound bad (Kiparsky 1966:96 fn. 8, cf. 72; ime… kov< 1984; Zeller 1999:44f). The following judgements are Zeller’s. They are trustworthy because Zeller was arguing against a hypothesis in McIntyre (2001) based on similar judgements. Zeller also notes that many speakers refuse to form finite forms of these verbs): (7) a. Peter bewertet die Auseinandersetzung über 'Peter overestimates the argument' b. ?Peter überbewertet die Auseinandersetzung ♦ These are the only instances of scalar preverbs which can separate (cf. Kühnhold 1973:242). General comments ♦ These data seem to be trying to tell us something about various important issues, including the nature of the interfaces between morphology, syntax and phonology, and the verb-second phenomenon. ♦ I consider the evidence for a morphological generation of particle verbs to be inconclusive, but if the solutions to the above problems are correct, then it is possible to generate separable verbs in the morphology with a clear conscience.