Predicate (Create-Move) – Object way (Createe-Way) – Obl (Path). The
means interpretation of the construction always entails that the subject referent
moves despite external difficulty or in some indirect way. Thus, “way” is a
meaningful element, designating the path of motion.
The Manner Interpretation
This interpretation does not imply external difficulties, there is no necessary
implication that a path must be created. The subject referent moves along a pre-
established path, e.g.: They were clanging their way up and down the narrow
streets.
He was scowling his way along the fiction shelves in a pursuit of a book. The
“way” phrase is not represented in the semantics of the construction, but is
syntactically encoded into the form of the direct object complement.
Semantic constraints
Unbounded Activity ( for both interpretations): the verb necessarily
designates a repeated action or unbounded activity, e.g.: Firing wildly, Jones shot
his way through the crowd. He hiccupped his way out of the room.
Self-Propelled Motion (for the means interpretation): motion must be self-
propelled. The constraint rules out unaccusative verbs, as unaccusativity correlates
with lack of agentivity or lack of self-initiation, e.g.: The bank-debt restructuring is
the centerpiece of Lomas Financial’s month-long efforts to shrink its way back to
profitability after 2 years of heavy losses. But * The wood burns its way to the
ground.
Directed Motion (mostly for the means interpretation): the motion must be
directed – it cannot be aimless, e.g.: She shoved her way through the crowd.
The Way Construction is available for use with a wide variety of verbs
(compare “resultatives” and “fake object resultatives” which are highly restrictive).
The Way Construction is directly associated with a certain semantics
independently of the lexical items which instantiate it.
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