A Study Of Implicative Verbs In Ernest Hemingway’s Novels

Abstract

The thesis “A Study of Implicative Verbs in Ernest Hemingway’s Novels” has reached the ultimate goal of discovering the syntactic, semantic and pragmatic features of implicative verbs in the three novels by Ernest Hemingway namely “A Farewell to Arms” (1929), “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (1940), and “The Old Man and the Sea” (1952). In terms of syntax, eight patterns of verb complementation are laid out. Intransitivity of the verbs is also examined and drawn out in tables. In terms of semantics, implicative verbs add certain layer of meaning to the complement verb. Functional Grammar theory is employed to work out hypotactic relation between the primary verbal group and the secondary verbal group. The structure of implicative verbs is extended by elaboration (α→=β), extension (α→ +β), and enhancement (α→ xβ). The secondary verbal group is semantically supplemented by the primary verbal group in the six categories: aspect, achievement, mental process of remembering, non-performance of action, successful prevention, and successful manipulation. In terms of pragmatics, this thesis has shown three implications triggered by implicative verbs in the three novels namely Representative, Directive, and Commissive. Overall, the study has sketched out outstanding features of implicative verbs in terms of three dimensions syntax, semantics and pragmatics.