Delexical take

Question

Why is "take" called delexical, i.e. having little or no meaning by itself, in "take a shower"? (In my opinion, "take" is a full-fledged lexical verb in "take a shower".)

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

AnonymousIn my opinion, "take" is a full-fledged lexical verb in "take a shower".

Really? Where do you take the shower to? The bedroom? The kitchen? And then do you take the shower back to where you found it when you are finished with it?

It's "full-fledged" in the sense that it is the main verb and it inflects, of course (took a shower, have taken a shower), but it was arbitrarily chosen through accidents of history to go with "shower". Had history been different, we might be saying "put a shower" or "do a shower". The verb is vacuous. "take" is said to be delexical here because you don't actually pick up the shower and carry it somewhere as when you take a book from a friend, take lunch with you to work, or take the trash out to the curb on garbage day.

OK?

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you, CJ, for the reply.

Indeed, I'm overwhelmed by the point you've made. By the way, is "Do" delexical in "Do the math" meaning 'to figure something out; to carry out a calulation'?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousBy the way, is "Do" delexical in "Do the math" meaning 'to figure something out; to carry out a calulation'?

I think you could argue that successfully. Yes. "do" is about as 'delexical' a verb as you can get.

Others may argue differently, however, because you can always add another definition in a dictionary and claim that the presence of that new definition in a dictionary makes the word lexical. Personally, I'm not fond of "lexical or delexical?" arguments. I don't think that they actually add much to our knowledge of any language. A little, but not much.

CJ

Delexical take

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