Psych verbs challenge linguists with respect to linking and binding. In this dissertation, I examine the verbs in terms of acquisition and in terms of their lexical semantics to propose event structures which can explain the behavior of psych verbs.; Chapter One describes the verbs as well as the linking and binding problems associated with the verbs. It also reviews representative accounts of psych verbs.; Chapter Two examines the linking problem from the viewpoint of child language acquisition. Child language data indicate that linking may be based upon semantic notions associated with agency and event.; Chapter Three examines the behavior of psych verbs in agentive linguistic environments, arguing that agentivity tests are sensitive to a semantic notion of control which divides the FRIGHTEN verbs into controller verbs, the amuse-verbs, and non-controller verbs, the amaze-verbs.; Chapter Four characterizes the types of events described by sentences using psych verbs. The dynamicity of events expressed by most FEAR verbs is consistent with the ability of these verbs to have controller subjects. The events described by FRIGHTEN verbs differ in that amuse-verbs describe a much broader range of event types than amaze-verbs. Causing events of amuse-verbs can be either controlling events or conceptualizations events, while causing events of amaze-verbs can only be conceptualization events.; Chapter Five presents event structures which, I argue, can account for the different behaviors of the different types of psych verbs as well as explain the linking and binding problems. I also find evidence for the acquisition of conceptualization subjects in child language data.
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