Definition:
A serial verb construction (SVC) is a syntactic structure in which two or more verbs appear in sequence within a single clause, share at least one argument (usually the subject), and describe components of a single event — without conjunctions, complementizers, or other linking elements between them. SVCs are a defining feature of many West African, Southeast Asian, and East Asian languages.
In-Depth Explanation
The hallmarks of a serial verb construction:
- Multiple verbs, one clause: No subordination or coordination markers between verbs
- Shared arguments: Typically share a subject (and sometimes an object)
- Single event construal: The verbs together describe one unified event or situation
- Single tense/aspect marking: Usually only one verb carries tense or the entire construction shares tense
Example from Yoruba:
- Ó mú ìwé wá ilé. (“He took book come house” = “He brought a book home.”)
- Three verbs (take, come, house) describe one bringing-event.
Japanese and SVCs:
Japanese has a rich system of verb compound constructions (複合動詞, fukugō dōshi) that are serial-verb-like:
| V1 + V2 | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 持ち帰る (mochi-kaeru) | carry-return → “take home” | Motion + direction |
| 食べ始める (tabe-hajimeru) | eat-begin → “start eating” | Action + aspect |
| 飛び出す (tobi-dasu) | jump-exit → “jump out” | Manner + path |
| 書き直す (kaki-naosu) | write-fix → “rewrite” | Action + result |
Japanese compound verbs share the defining SVC feature of combining verbs into a single predicate without conjunctions. However, linguists debate whether Japanese compounds are “true” SVCs (the V1 stem + V2 pattern involves morphological rather than syntactic serialization).
The Japanese V-て (te-form) construction is a closer parallel to prototypical SVCs:
- 走って帰った (hashitte kaetta, “ran and returned” = “ran home”)
- The て-form connects verbs sequentially to describe a single event chain.
For learners, understanding verb serialization in Japanese means embracing compound verbs and te-form chains as natural, single-predicate units rather than trying to parse them as separate actions.
Related Terms
See Also
Research
- Aikhenvald, A. Y. (2006). Serial Verb Constructions: A Cross-Linguistic Typology. Oxford University Press. — The most comprehensive typological survey of SVCs across languages.
- Matsumoto, Y. (1996). Complex Predicates in Japanese: A Syntactic and Semantic Study of the Notion “Word”. CSLI Publications. — Analysis of Japanese compound verbs and their relationship to SVCs.