Self-prefixed verbs: Analogy in the Functional Discourse Grammar lexicon

Abstract

This article takes an analogy-based approach to the analysis of morphological derivation in the framework of Functional Discourse Grammar (FDG), giving an account of English verbs with the prefix self-. Such self-prefixed verbs call on different lexical frames, namely one-place, two-place and two- and three-place reflexive frames. Their use stands in a complex relation with either reflexive or intensifying interpretations, or indeed both. In two-place frames, where the self-prefixed verb takes an object or other complement, that object/complement is bound by the subject. Various factors predisposing speakers to use self-prefixed verbs are considered, outlining how these relate to other self-prefixed lexemes in a network of analogical relations.