On the Subject-Compounding in English Verbal Compounds

Our topic is the possibility of interpreting the non-head of an English verbal compound (VC) as subject of the head verb. English –ing VCs are said to be deviant in rejecting not only the "incorporation" of external-argument subjects (e.g. *kid-devouring (of fruit), *girl-swimming) but also that of internal-argument subjects (e.g. *sunrising, cf. sunrise). We will show, however, that certain unaccusative verbs do form –ing VCs with their subjects (e.g. fruit-ripening) and will explain the difference between the *sunrising and fruit-ripening types in terms of argument-structure properties of nominalizations. The difference between the *sunrising and sunrise types will also be discussed. Our proposal will serve as another piece of evidence for the generalization that VC incorporates the head verb’s internal argument.