Stretched verb

Stretched verb

A stretched verb is a complex predicate composed of a light verb and an eventive noun. An example is the English phrase "take a bite out of", which is semantically similar to the simple verb "bite". The concept has been used in studies of German and English. []

There is no standard name or definition for the concept. Other names include "supported verb", "expanded predicate", "verbo-nominal phrase", and "delexical verb combination". Some definitions may place further restrictions on the construction: restricting the light verb to one of a fixed list; restricting the occurrence of articles, prepositions, or adverbs within the complex phrase; requiring the eventive noun to be identical or cognate with a synonymous simple verb, or at least requiring the stretched verb to be synonymous with some simple verb. []

In English, many stretched verbs are more common than a corresponding simple verb: for example "get rid [of X from Y] " compared to the verb "rid [Y of X] "; or "offer (one's) condolences [to X] " vs "condole [with X] ". Correct use of stretched verbs is about as difficult for EFL students as other types of collocation. [Nesselhauf, §5.1.3, pp.211–214 ]

ee also

*phrasal verb

References


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