Agentivity and Experiencer Alignment in Bengali–English Complex Predicates: A Constraint-Based Analysis of Light Verb Selection
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/jnll.v4i2.7667Keywords:
Agentivity, Bengali–English Code-Mixing, Complex Predicates, Experiencer Constructions, Light Verb, Cognitive MechanismAbstract
Due to enhanced exposure to English in urban Bangladesh, Bengali– English code- mixing is on the rise and complex predicates abound where an English lexical unit is merged with a Bengali light verb (ignore kora, feel hocche). While studies have focused on the sociolinguistic motivations of such preferences, little is known about semantic and structural properties of light verbs that may be responsible for the choices. The present paper explores the possibility that choices between available Bengali light verbs are constrained by two factors: Agentivity Preservation and Experiencer Alignment. An Acceptability Judgment Task was administered to 161 Bengali– English bilinguals who evaluated the naturalness of item pairs that differed in the incorporated light verb. Paired-samples t-tests on the obtained ratings demonstrated that for each verb, the differences between constructions were statistically significant. Agentive verbs (ignore, discuss) triggered significantly stronger preferences for agentive constructions (kora) compared to experiencer constructions (howa/laga). In contrast, telic verbs (feel, bore) showed stronger tendencies for experiencer constructions over agentive ones. Verbs with mixed or less clear meanings (cancel, relax) did not exhibit strong preferences. Thus, the patterns support a constraint-based approach to code-switched constructions in which semantic characteristics of the embedded verb interact with available constructions in the target language. At the same time, the findings are based on acceptability judgments of constructions and do not demonstrate the presence of specific cognitive mechanisms. Further studies are needed to explore alternative approaches, including frequency-based accounts.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Md Rakibul Islam Rakib, Mohammad Ali Hossain, Jannatul Ferdows Rubaba
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