say

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The verb say affords multiple valency frames, some highly verb-specific.

Coding frame

Simplex Verb form

Examples

(63)
She said something to me.
she
she
said
said
something
something
to
to
me
me
‘She said something to me.’
★
(64)
They said "no" to me.
they
they
said
said
no
no
to
to
me
me
‘They said "no" to me.’
★
(67)
Don't say that word.
do
do
not
not
say
say
that
that
word
word
‘Don't say that word.’
★
(68)
She said her prayers every night.
she
she
said
said
her
her
prayers
prayers
every
every
night
night
‘She said her prayers every night.’
★
(443)
It's hard to say.
it
it
is
is
hard
hard
to
to
say
say
‘It's hard to say.’
★
(444)
Why can't they both just say sorry and put it behind them?
why
why
can
can
not
not
they
they
both
both
just
just
say
say
sorry
sorry
and
and
put
put
it
it
behind
behind
them
them
‘Why can't they both just say sorry and put it behind them?’
★

Verb meaning , Microroles , Coding sets and Argument types

# SAY Coding set Argument type
1 sayer NP-nom V.subj A
2 said content NP-acc P
3 saying addressee to+NP X

Alternations

Clear filters
Alternation name Occurs Examples
U
Inchoative-Causative more info
N n
U
Accidental Body-part more info
N n
U
Assisting Body-part more info
N n
U
Stimulus Subject more info
N n
U
Abstract subject more info
N n
U
Understood Reflexive Object more info
N n
U
Locus of personal contact more info
N n
U
Conative more info
N n
U
With/against alternation more info
N n
U
Causative-Inchoative more info
N n
U
Benefactive more info
N n
U
Source-of-part more info
N n
U
Cognate Object more info
N n
U
Instrumental Object more info
N n
U
Into-Resultative more info
N n
U
Locative more info
N n
C
Way-construction more info
N y
U
Malefactive more info
N n
C
Gerundive complement more info
N y
U
Stimulus prepositional object more info
N n
U
Resultative complement more info
N n
U
Quasi-benefactive-accompaniment with more info
N n
U
Possessor ascension more info
N n
U
Path subject more info
N n
U
Locative promotion more info
N n
C
To-complement more info
N y
U
Wh-complement more info
N n
U
Topic-about more info
N n
U
Experiencer Passive with of-Stimulus
N n
U
Understood Omitted Object more info
N n
C
Accidental Reflexive more info
N y
U
Middle more info
N n
C
Reciprocal more info
N y
C
Have-a-VP(nominal) more info
N y
U
Quasi-agentive Instrumental Subject more info
M n
(69)
Her words said yes, but her face said no.
‘Her words said yes, but her face said no.’
★
U
Instrumental Subject more info
N n
U
Directed Nonverbal Expression more info
N n
U
Location-capacity subject more info
N n
U
Dative more info
N n
C
Get-a-VP(nominal) more info
N y
U
Direct Quotation more info
R n
(65)
He said, "Sorry, I have to leave early".
‘He said, "Sorry, I have to leave early".’
★
That-complement more info
R
(66)
He said that he had to go.
‘He said that he had to go.’
★