R e s u l t a t i v e C o n s t r u c t i o n The Resultative Construction is argued to be a metaphorical extension of the
caused-motion construction. The semantics of the construction involves the patient,
that is why resultatives can only be applied to arguments which potentially
undergo a change of state as a result of the action denoted by the verb. Resultatives
can apply to:
-
direct objects of some transitive verbs, e.g.:
I had brushed my hair smooth. You killed it stone-dead.; -
subjects of particular intransitive verbs, e.g.:
The river froze solid.;
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-
“fake” objects, i.e. post-verbal arguments that do not bear the normal
argument
relation to the verb, e.g.:
She laughed herself crooked.