Re: quadrivalent verb

On Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:21:11 -0400, ROGER MILLS wrote:

>I think we could make a good argument that _buy, sell, bet_ and maybe
>_trade_ could be considered tetravalent.  Each allows (but doesn't require)
>maximum Agent--Patient--Dative/Source/Commitative--Amount.  Exactly how
>"amount" would be treated is the question. Maybe "intrumental"?
"Amount" seems symmetrical to patient for most of these: I sell you a book
for $10 = I give you a book and you give me $10.

"Bet" appears to be a different structure; "amount" is here taking care of
both transfer slots, while the "patient" seems more like a "topic" role than
a true patient, as it is not necessarily affected by the transaction.

John Vertical