A corpus-based study of adverbial modifiers in English middle constructions

A corpora survey indicates that there are several types of adverbial modifications in middle constructions,and adverbs is only one of them. Adverbial modification is a pragmatic constraint rather than a grammatical requirement. Whether a middle construction requires an adverbial medication relies on whether the middle construction is informative enough. Which type of adverbial modifier is required is decided by the semantic frame of the verb. The combination of the verb and the adverbial modifier works to illustrate the typical inherent property or qualia of the subject involved. The six types of adverbs classified by Jackendoff can all appear in middle constructions,but not every adverb in those categories can form middles with each middable verb. It is not the case that adverbs can only appear in the post-verbal position. Many adverbs which usually appear after auxiliary verbs can also make acceptable middles together with middable verbs. There is indeed selection restriction for adverbs in middles,namely,the agent-oriented volitional adverbs are not allowed in middles,which is in accordance with the cognitive function of middles. It is also found that adjectives can also be used as adverbial modifier in middles,but all of them have corresponding adverbs. It may well be the case that the use of adjectives as adverbial modifiers might be due to idiosyncratic variation.