Phrasal Verbs Nominalisation : a Minimalist Approach

Abstract

Abstract: The nominalisation mechanism of English verbs is quite particular for phrasal verbs. In addition to the verb standard nominalisation process which goes through the suffixation of –ing to the verb, phrasal verbs have another nominalisation mode. Some nominalized forms have the particle in a pre-verbal position whereas some have the particle in a post-verbal position. Some do not even have a noun form deriving from the particle position. As regarding the two formers, the two patterns i.e. verb – particle and particle – verb forms are contradictory to the uniformity of constraints in one single language. The existing two patterns in English phrasal verb structure raise some questions. Does English admit two structures for particle-verb noun forms? If not, what is the base structure for nominalised forms? What is then the constraint that forces the particle to precede or follow the verb root? Within a Minimalist perspective, especially in a syntactic approach, I will show in this paper that both patterns are derived from only one common minimal structure. The structural difference is due to the focus feature of the verb. Keywords : Phrasal verb, particle, root verb, feature, nominalisation