A Lexical Relational Structure Analysis of English Complex-Intransitives

Abstract

This paper discusses Lee's (2004) unaccusative analysis of complex-intransitives and points out that the theoretical framework he worked in gives rise to an interpretive paradox and shows that the paradox can be resolved in Hale and Keyser's (2002) Lexical Relational Structure (LRS) theory. Testing this framework further against a wider variety of complex-intransitives, it shows that the Hale-Keyser LRS theory needs to be slightly modified to remain descriptively adequate.