The Syntax of "Complex Prepositions" in German. An HPSG Approach.


We will discuss the type of data in German, exemplified in (1), which
represents a cross-linguistic problem commonly labeled "complex
prepositions" (cf. Quirk & Mulholland (1964), Benes (1974), Lindqvist
(1994)).   

(1) in Verbindung mit ('in connection with'), im Hinblick auf
    ('in terms of'), an Hand von ('by means of')

It is obvious that the above expressions, when combined with NPs result
in PPs (here called P1N1P2N2 sequences), which act as modifiers within
the entire sentence (cf. Fries (1988), Buscha (1984)). More debatable is
the question of headedness and, more generally speaking, the problem of
interdependence between the elements of P1N1P2N2. However, the fact that
P1N1P2N2 sequences cannot be treated as typical PPs (cf. the structure
in (2)) is indisputable.    

(2)                   P'
                     /\
                    /  \
                   /    \
                   P    NP
             in ('in')  /\
                       /  \
                      /    \
                      D     N'
               einer ('a')  /\
                           /  \
                          /    \
                          A     N'
               engen ('close') /\
                              /  \
                             /    \
                             N    PP
                      Verbindung  [mit den Beratern] 
                ('connection')  ('with the advisers')      
 
First, other than in usual PPs such as in (2), N1 in P1N1P2N2 may be
neither syntactically premodified nor postmodified. Secondly,  N1 can be 
neither syntactically determined nor quantified by any constituent which
is selected by N1. Lastly, the P2N2 can not be omitted. 

Based on this, the assumption can be made that P1N1P2 strings are
lexical categories evincing prepositional character. Thus, Fries (1988)
proposes the following structure for P1N1P2N2. 

(3)                      P'
                        /\
                       /  \
                      /    \
                     P     N2P
                    /|\  diesem Problem 
                   / | \ ('this problem')                  
                  /  |  \
                 /   |   \
                P1   |   P2
           in ('in') |  mit ('with')
                     N1
                 Verbindung
               ('connection')     
        
This proposal seems to be adequate for the above observations. However,
this analysis emerges as highly problematic with respect to the set of
syntactic properties, valid for the particular constituents of the
discussed PPs as well. First, P2N2 combinations where P2 is realized by
"von" ('of') can be replaced by the genitive, according to the
restrictions on distribution of postnominal genitives and "von"-PPs in
German. Second, P2N2 sequences can be substituted by "wo/da" expressions
such as "damit" ('with it'). These facts seem to indicate a rather
traditional analysis such as the one in (2).
 
Hence,  we conclude that the discussed PPs contrast with typical PPs in 
German, in terms of not allowing any lexical variation within P1N1
sequences, but with respect to syntactic factors indicated above, they
behave like other PPs.     

In our constraint-based approach, we propose an analysis using the
raising mechanism, which explains both phenomena. The basic assumption
is that P2N2 in P1N1P2N2 acts as an argument of N1 in terms of being
determined by N1 with regard to its syntactic and semantic properties
such as case, and P2N2 is expected to be selected by N1 as its
complement. Thus, we proceed according to the standard methods of
handling PPs. This explains why P2N2 combinations share many grammatical
properties with traditional PPs. Furthermore, we assume that P1 selects
first N1 which does not realize its complement and then selects N1's
complement. That is, by virtue of an appropriate lexical principle of
grammar specifying the valence of argument raising words (e.g. such as
those proposed by Meurers (1997)), the complement of N1 is raised by P1
to become P1's complement and then to be realized by P1
syntactically. By virtue of the obliqueness hierarchy of German Ns,
fixed within constraints on the phrase structure of German, the
modifying and determining/quantifying of complement-unsaturated Ns are
blocked. This explains the fixedness of P1N1 sequences without
additional theorization.  

Of course, in the majority of cases, P1s occur in syntactic contexts
where no raising takes place. Underspecifying valence information
within lexical entries of prepositions and using appropriate lexical 
constraints, our theory offers a non-redundant description of
linguistic facts about both the raising and non-raising prepositions. 



Benes, E. (1974). "Praepositionswertige
Praepositionalfuegungen". -U. Engel, P. Grebe (Hgg.): "Schprachsystem
und Sprachgebrauch". Duesseldorf:Schwann.

Buscha, J. (1984). "Zur Syntax der Praepositionen". -Deutsch als
Fremdsprache 21. 

Fries, N. (1988). "Praepositionen und Praepositionalphrasen im Deutschen 
und Neugrichischen. Aspekte einer kontrastiven Analyse
Deutsch-Neugrichisch". -Tuebingen:Niemeyer. 

Lindqvist, Ch. (1994). "Zur Entstehung der Praepostionen im Deutschen
und Schwedischen". - Tuebingen:Niemeyer.

Meurers, D. (1997). "Using lexical principles in HPSG to generalize over 
valence properties". -Proceedings of the Third Conference on Formal
Grammar, Aix-en-Provence.

Quirk, R., Mulholland, J. (1964). "Complex Prepositions and Related
Sequences". -Supplement to English Studies 44.