Re: (In)transitive verbs

Mark J. Reed wrote:

>English is also full of phrasal verbs (verb + preposition[s]), which
>are transitive when treated as a unit but officially analyze into an
>intransitive verb modified by a prepositional phrase: "look at",
>"climb up", "watch out for", etc.
>
>
I'm not sure I agree; look at these two sentences:

Louise looked up Teresa's phone number.
Louise looked up Teresa's nose.

They look similar, right?

1) Teresa's phone number is what Louise looked up.
2) Up Teresa's nose is where Louise looked.
3) *Up Teresa's phone number is where Louise looked.

'Look up' can't be a verb with an obligatory prepositional phrase; then
3 would be grammatical and 1 wouldn't be.
That isn't to say that there aren't verbs with such things, but the
examples you gave aren't that kind of animal.

--
In the days when people were taller, to the Duchess of the Aviary and
her consort, the Master Poet-Baker of No, was born a daughter whose
beauty surpassed every sonnet and bun.
Shreyas

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