The syntax of progressive and ingressive 'aanhet'-constructions in Dutch

Author(s):
Bogaards, M.P.M. (0000-0003-0931-2812); Boogaart, R.J.U. (0000-0001-6571-9356); Barbiers L.C.J.
Published
2022
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor

Abstract

This paper presents a novel syntactic analysis of the much-debated Dutch aanhet-construction, e.g. Pieter is aan het opruimen ‘lit. Peter is on the cleanup: Peter is cleaning up’. We show that the construction’s syntactic behavior varies with the matrix verb: progressive zijn ‘be’ versus ingressive gaan ‘go’ and slaan ‘hit’. Based on this variation, we argue that there are two aanhet-projections occupying different synchronic positions on a functional-to-lexical cline.

Date issued
2022-11-04
Language
English
Is part of
Linguistics in the Netherlands (2022), Vol. 39, no. 1, p. 2-20
hdl
1887/3492056
doi
10.1075/avt.00058.bog

Funding

Sponsorship
NWO
Grant number
PWG.20.013