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JungKim Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Light verb
According to Wikipedia, a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_verb is defined as follows:
In linguistics, a light verb is a verb that has little semantic content of its own and it therefore forms a predicate with some additional expression, which is usually a noun. Common verbs in English that can function as light verbs are do, give, have, make, take, etc.
I'd like to know if this "have" is a light verb.
I have a really good feeling about this.
In linguistics, a light verb is a verb that has little semantic content of its own and it therefore forms a predicate with some additional expression, which is usually a noun. Common verbs in English that can function as light verbs are do, give, have, make, take, etc.
I'd like to know if this "have" is a light verb.
I have a really good feeling about this.
Top answer
" a. Sam did a revision of his paper. - Light verb construction b.
- " a.
- Sam did a revision of his paper.
- - Light verb construction b.
- Sam revised his paper.
- -Full verb a.
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26 Answers
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This is from the Wiki article, comparing these "light verbs" with "full verbs."
a. Sam did a revision of his paper. - Light verb construction
b. Sam revised his paper. -Full verb
a. Larry wants to have a smoke. - Light verb construction
b. Larry wants to smoke. - Full verb
a. Jim made an important claim that.... - Lig
a. Sam did a revision of his paper. - Light verb construction
b. Sam revised his paper. -Full verb
a. Larry wants to have a smoke. - Light verb construction
b. Larry wants to smoke. - Full verb
a. Jim made an important claim that.... - Lig
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Thanks for taking the time to look into the examples.
You're right that it has a full-verb counterpart.
That said, I find that all the light verb examples in the article happen to be dynamic verbs as opposed to 'stative verbs'.
But the OP's verb 'have', I think, is a stative verb.
Am I mistaken about this?
Or even if I'm right about that, does it really matter t
You're right that it has a full-verb counterpart.
That said, I find that all the light verb examples in the article happen to be dynamic verbs as opposed to 'stative verbs'.
But the OP's verb 'have', I think, is a stative verb.
Am I mistaken about this?
Or even if I'm right about that, does it really matter t
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JungKimBut the OP's verb 'have', I think, is a stative verb."Have" is not always a stative verb.
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AlpheccaStars"Have" is not always a stative verb.I'm not saying that it always is. What I saying is that it is in this particular case, I think.
Do you think that it's a stative verb in the OP?
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fivejedjon JungKimDo you think that it's a stative verb in the OP?I do.If it's a stative verb, can it still be considered a light verb?
I mean, being a stative verb, 'have' means its original full meaning of possessing.
Can you say just because you have a full-verb equivalent (I feel really good about this) that the 'have' in the OP is a "light
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Well, to me, I don't possess my feelings in the same "heaviness" that I possess my toothbrush.
I can sell or discard my toothbrush. Then I don't possess it anymore. My toothbrush and I are totally separate from each other. I either own it, or I don't. But my feelings cannot be divorced from me as a toothbrush can. It would be rather strange to say "I don't have my feelings now; I gave them
I can sell or discard my toothbrush. Then I don't possess it anymore. My toothbrush and I are totally separate from each other. I either own it, or I don't. But my feelings cannot be divorced from me as a toothbrush can. It would be rather strange to say "I don't have my feelings now; I gave them
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Hi
After a while, I think I've understood:
- I have a good feeling about this
- I feel good about this
On the face of it, 'have' isn't needed here, because the two sentences say the same thing. So 'have', in this context, is a light verb. We can drop 'have'
Obviously, in other contexts, we couldn't just drop 'have' because it is serving as a main verb:
After a while, I think I've understood:
- I have a good feeling about this
- I feel good about this
On the face of it, 'have' isn't needed here, because the two sentences say the same thing. So 'have', in this context, is a light verb. We can drop 'have'
Obviously, in other contexts, we couldn't just drop 'have' because it is serving as a main verb:
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dave_anon- I have a good feeling about this- I feel good about thisCf.
I have a good inkling about this.
I inkle good about this.
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Yes, so in some contexts, you can't drop the 'have'
There are some noun/verb constructs where you can drop the light verb and there are some where you can't
- I'm OK, I have work right now
- I'm OK, I work right now
I wasn't supposing for a moment that I could tell you when the rule operates
Dave
There are some noun/verb constructs where you can drop the light verb and there are some where you can't
- I'm OK, I have work right now
- I'm OK, I work right now
I wasn't supposing for a moment that I could tell you when the rule operates
Dave
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