English Particles compared to Czech Adverbs and Prefixes

Abstract

In this thesis, I compare English particles to Czech spatial adverbs and prefixes. I discuss three aspects of the particles, adverbs and prefixes – word order, aspect and readings. The properties of the English particles seem to be divided between the spatial adverbs and prefixes in Czech. There are structural similarities between the particles and the adverbs, but the adverbs cannot have other than spatial readings. English particles undergo particle shift, a movement of the particle that is only possible when the particle is not modified. Czech spatial adverbs show a similar word order pattern as the particles and thus seem to undergo the same movement. I argue in this thesis that the movement of the spatial adverbs is not of the same sort as the particle shift. The prefixes clearly lack the possibility of particle shift, but they give rise to idiomatic and other systematic readings and have a telicizing effect like the particles. The prefixes are attached to verbs in Czech, so it is impossible to compare structural behaviour of the particles and prefixes. There are however other similarities between the particles and the prefixes. Both particles and prefixes give rise to various readings – spatial readings though limited in the case of the prefixes, idiomatic readings and other systematic readings. I also compare the behaviour of the particle and the prefix with respect to telicity. I argue that the prefixes have a telicizing effect on the verb whereas the particles can have a telicizing effect, but do not always have one.