Should Danish be considered a satellite-framed language?

• Published in: Acta linguistica hafniensia Vol. 56; no. 2; pp. 256 - 279
• Main Author: Müller, Henrik Høeg
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Copenhagen Routledge 24.01.2025; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Argument structure; complex predicates; Danish language; directional adverbs; event framing; Function words; Language typology; linguistic typology; Motion; pseudo-incorporation; Semantics; Verbs
• ISSN: 0374-0463; 1949-0763
• DOI: 10.1080/03740463.2024.2427518

The aim of this article is to discuss from a critical perspective whether the notion of S(atellite)-framed languages makes sense when applied to Danish. It is claimed that considering the encoding of Path the central organizational factor that determines motion event expression in Danish, does not render a balanced typological image of this language. The main arguments put forward to support this criticism are the following: (i) the notion of S-framing fails to recognize the intricate interplay between the expression of directional particles and PPs, and these elements' possibility of being pseudo-incorporated into the verb; (ii) Danish has a strong preference for using manner-of-motion and, more broadly, activity verbs as main predicates, which means that the central role of the semantic component manner in clause formation must not be ignored; and, finally, (iii) the argument structure of Danish manner-of-motion and activity verbs is flexible and, thus, to a great extent affects the construction of motion event descriptions. On these grounds, the article claims that instead of seeing Danish as primarily S-framed, it would be more accurate to rely on a description that puts the huge constructional potential of this language into focus as a typological characteristic.