noun
Uncommon
vP
lihtl-vee-PEE
VP (noun) means In linguistics, a phrase whose head is the light verb v.
noun
1
In linguistics, a phrase whose head is the light verb v.
"As discussed in Deal 2013, a single vP may contain only one accusative-marked DP, and it is always the second-highest DP that is marked in this way."
— Amy Rose Deal, Raising to Ergative: Remarks on Applicatives of Unaccusatives (2019)
"As discussed in Deal 2013, a single vP may contain only one accusative-marked DP, and it is always the second-highest DP that is marked in this way."
— Amy Rose Deal (2019)
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Word forms
- Plural
- vPs
Frequently asked questions
What does “vP” mean?
The word “vP” means a phrase headed by little v.
How do you pronounce “vP”?
“VP” is pronounced lihtl-vee-PEE (/ˈlɪtl̩ ˈvi ˈpi/ in IPA).
How do you use “vP” in a sentence?
Here is “vP” used in a sentence: “As discussed in Deal 2013, a single vP may contain only one accusative-marked DP, and it is always the second-highest DP that is marked in this way.”
What part of speech is “vP”?
“VP” is a noun.
Is “vP” a common word?
“VP” is an uncommon word in modern English.
What is the difference between VP and vP in syntax?
In generative syntax, VP refers to the basic verb phrase headed by the main verb, while vP is a phrase headed by a lighter, more abstract verbal element known as little v. The vP layer is typically used to account for argument structure, such as introducing the subject or expressing causation, sitting above the VP in the syntactic tree.
What is "little v" in linguistics?
Little v is an abstract functional head in syntactic theory that introduces elements of verbal meaning, such as agency or causation, and projects the vP. It is distinct from the lexical verb itself, which typically heads the VP nested beneath it.
Why do linguists use vP instead of just VP?
Linguists use vP to separate the core lexical meaning of a verb, housed in VP, from additional structural information like the introduction of a subject or causative meaning, housed in the higher vP layer. This split allows for more precise analysis of how verb phrases are built and how arguments are assigned.
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