On the Syntax, Semantics and Pragmatics of Some have Sentences

This paper discusses the syntactic, semantic and pragmatic status of have sentences with the general structure given in (1), and exemplified by (2) and (3) : (1) NP 1 - have - NP 2 - V n on-finite (2) I have two buttons missing on my jacket. (3) My friend had a valuable watch stolen. The syntactic evidence adduced in the paper shows that the NP 2 - V n on-finite part of the sentence does not instantiate complex-transitive complementation by an object and an -ing participle or -ed participle complement, as is argued by Quirk et al. (1985:1206ff). The postverbal part in (1) is shown to constitute a single argument of the verb have with NP 2 as a semantic argument of the non finite verb, i.e. have is described as a two-place predicate with an Experiencer and the Content of Experience in its semantic predicate frame. Pragmatically, this sentence type enables the speaker to empathize with the referent of NP 1 and to present the state of affairs expressed by the NP 2 - V n on-finite part from the point of view of that referent. This paper also argues against the traditional view that such have sentences are derived from constructions with a possessive determiner and that they primarily express possession