The Relative Autonomy of Syntactic Structures

Abstract

The article analyses the relationship between semantics and syntax, emphasising the interdependence of the two levels within the utterance, conceived as a structure organised across three complementary layers: referential-semantic, logico-syntactic, and communicative-pragmatic. A central role in this organisation is played by the verb, whose valency determines the type and number of actants; thus, the classification of verbs into avalent, monovalent, bivalent, and trivalent highlights the correlation between lexical meaning and syntactic structure. However, this correspondence is not rigid. The study brings to light the phenomenon of syntactic transfer, whereby structural patterns extend beyond their prototypical semantic configurations, generating structural variation. In this process, analytic constructions with support verbs play a significant role, contributing to the redistribution of the verbal lexeme’s meaning across constituents. In conclusion, syntactic structures acquire a relative functional autonomy while remaining anchored in the semantic base.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52505/1857-4300.2026.1(326).01