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In:Adverbs and Particles at the Form-Meaning Interface
Edited by Marco Coniglio, Kalle Müller and Markus Steinbach
[Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today 292] 2026
► pp. 216–235

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Syntactic and semantic flexibility among adverbials

Evidence from underspecified adjuncts

 | University of Oslo
Published online: 23 March 2026
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https://doi.org/10.1075/la.292.10bro
Abstract
This paper is concerned with the syntactic and semantic properties of underspecified adjuncts, i.e. adjuncts without an inherent interpretation. Based on a corpus of non-finite participial clauses in German and English, it is shown that underspecified adjuncts occur with many different adverbial interpretations, modifying all the syntactico-semantic domains of a clause identified in the adjunction-based literature on adverbials, as well as a variety of control readings. The corpus data reveal interesting correlations between the interpretation, distribution and control status of these adjuncts that show how syntax and semantics work compositionally to determine an adjunct’s meaning.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Basic assumptions
  • 3.Adverbial interpretations and distribution
  • 4.Control interpretations and distribution
  • 5.Concluding remarks
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
References (40)
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