Particle Choices and Collocation in Cameroon English Phrasal Verbs

Napoleon Epoge

Abstract


The meaning of some phrasal verbs can be guessed from the meanings of the parts (to sit down = sit + down, run after = run + after) and the meaning of some others have to be learned (to put up (a visitor) = accommodate, to hold up = cause delay or try to rob someone) due to their syntactic and semantic complexities. In this regard, the syntactic and semantic properties are expected to be the same in every English speaking context. Thus, this paper aims to explore the input-oriented syntactic and semantic properties of phrasal verbs in Cameroon English. Findings reveal that the syntactic property of some phrasal verbs undergoes innovative processes such as particle substitution (to round up a point), omission (to bite more than you can chew), and redundancy (to meet up with the requirements); while the semantic property undergoes the process of semantic extension (to came out with a pathetic story to justify ones absence from office; to come out with a wonderful strategy to curb corruption), and semantic shift (to put up with someone for one semester). This reveals that, in the New English context such as Cameroon, users resort to the domestication of the alien language as a functional and dominant paradigm to combat cultural imperialism and express new identity.

Keywords: Cameroon English, collocation, particle, phrasal verb, semantics, syntax


Full Text:

PDF

References


Baker, A. (1982). English to Get on with: Practice in Phrasal/ Prepositional Verbs. London: Heinemann.

Booij, G. (2001). From Syntax to Morphology: Particle Verbs and Grammaticalization. In Schaner-Wolles, C., Rennison, J., and Neubarth, F. (eds.). Naturally! Linguistic Studies in Honour of W. U. Dressler. Torino: Rosenberg and Sellier, 59-65.

Booij, G. (2002). Separable Complex Verbs in Dutch: A Case of Periphrastic Word Formation. In Dehé Nicole et al. (eds.). 21-41.

Carmen, A. (2004). Some Fundamental Issues in the Semantic Analysis of Prepositions. Estudios Ingleses de la Universdad Complutense, 13.

Courtney, R. (1983). Longman Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. London: Longman.

Cruse, A. (2006). A Glossary of Semantics and Pragmatics. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Cuyckens, H., and Radden, G. (ed.) (2002). Perspectives on Prepositions. Tübingen: Niemeyer.

Crystal, D. (1995). Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Darwin, C. and Gray, L. (1999). Going after the Phrasal Verb: An Alternative Approach to Classification. TESOL Quarterly, 33, 65-83.

Den Dikken, M. (1995). Particles on the Syntax of Verb-Particle, Triadic, and Causative Constructions. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Dirven, R. (1993). Dividing up Physical and Mental Space into Conceptual Categories by Means of English Prepositions. In Zelinsky-Wibbelt, The Semantics of Prepositions: From Mental Processing to Natural Language Processing, 73-97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/9783110872576.73

Eastwood, J. (2006). Oxford Practice Grammar with Answers. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Hall, P. (2002). Phrasal Verbs: English in Valencia. http://ralenciaenglish.netfirms.com/phrasals00htm

Hourany, Q. (2002). Syntactic and Semantic Problems in Translating English Phrasal Verbs to Arabic. MA Thesis, Yarmouk University, Irbid-Jordan.

Iacobini, C. (2009).The Role of Dialects in the Emergence of Italian Phrasal Verbs. Morphology, 19(1), 15-44.

Kaminska, P. (2001). Keywords for Phrasal Verbs. Modern English Teacher, 10(2), 59-61.

Kayne, R, (1985). Principles in Particle Constructions. In Guéron, J., H-G. Obenauer, and J-Y. Pollack, (eds.). Grammatical Representations. Dordrecht: Foris, 101-140.

Kayne, R. (1998). Overt vs. Covert Movement. Syntax, 1, 128-191.

Kolln, M. and Funk, R. (1998). Understanding English Grammar,5th (ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

McArthur, T. (1992). The Long-Neglected Phrasal Verb. English Today, 5(2), 38-44.

McIntyre, A. (2001). German Double Particles as Preverbs: Morphology and Conceptual Semantics. Tübingen: Stauffenburg.

Olsen, S. (2000). Against Incorporation. In Dölling, J. and T. Pechmann (eds.). Linguistische Arbeitsberichte, 74, 149-172.

Omar, M. (2005). Baiaan Al-Lazim wa Al- Mutaadie. Al-Turath Al-Arabi. (Vol 99-100). Arab Union, Damascus, Syria.

Quirk, R., Greenbaum, S., Leech, G., and Svartvik, J. (1985). A Comprehensive Grammar of English Language. New York: Longman.

Richards, J. and Schmidt, R. (2002). Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics. London: Longman.

Schmitt, N. and Siyanova, A. (2007). Native and Nonnative Use of Multi-word VS. One-word Verbs. IRAL, 45, 119-139.

Stephens, A. (ed.) (2002). The English Phrasal Verb. North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press.

Thomson, A. and Martinet, A. (2009). A Practical English Grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Thrush, A. (2001). Plain English? A Study of Plain English Vocabulary and International Audiences. Technical Communication: Journal of the Society for Technical Communication, 48(3), 289-96.

Toivonen, I. (2003). Non-Projecting Words. A Case Study of Swedish Particles. Dordrecht: Kluwer.

Yasir, M. (2011). Semantic and Syntactic Problems in Comprehending English Phrasal Verbs. Tikrit University Journal for Humanities, 18(7), 17-43.

Zeller, J. (2001). Particle Verbs and Local Domains. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.

Zubizzareta, M. and Oh, E. (2007). On the Syntactic Composition of Manner of Motion. Cambridge, MA: Michigan Institute of Technology Press.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.




Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2010-2023 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD.

Advances in Language and Literary Studies

You may require to add the 'aiac.org.au' domain to your e-mail 'safe list’ If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox'. Otherwise, you may check your 'Spam mail' or 'junk mail' folders.