SYNTACTIC AND SEMANTIC PROPERTIES OF BIVALENT UNITS

Аннотация

This article provides a comprehensive linguistic analysis of bivalent units, a core category within predicate-argument structures that inherently require two syntactic and semantic arguments to express complete meaning. Bivalent units—typically verbs—play a fundamental role in sentence construction and meaning, bridging syntax and semantics in all natural languages. The study delves into the theoretical foundations of valency theory and predicate logic to frame the classification and behavior of bivalent predicates, focusing particularly on their syntactic realizations, thematic roles, and the interface between grammatical form and conceptual meaning. In addition to outlining the formal properties of these units, the article explores cross-linguistic perspectives, including differences in argument alignment, case marking, and morphosyntactic patterns across typologically diverse languages. Special attention is given to alternations such as passivization, dative shift, and causative constructions, all of which provide insight into how bivalent predicates function in real language use. The paper also discusses implications for cognitive linguistics, second language acquisition, and translation studies. This in-depth examination is intended for scholars and students of syntax, semantics, typology, and cognitivelinguistics. Keywords:Bivalent units, valency, syntax, semantics, transitivity, predicate-argument structure, argument realization, thematicroles The study of sentence structure and meaning has been at the forefront of linguistic inquiry for decades, and among the many elements that shape syntactic and semantic representations, bivalent units occupy a particularly critical position. These are linguistic elements, most commonly verbs, that semantically require two arguments—typically referred to as agent and patient, or subject and object—to form a complete propositional statement. Bivalent predicates underpin a vast range of linguistic constructions across languages, functioning as a crucial bridge between the mental representation of events and their grammatical realization inspoken or written discourse. From a syntactic standpoint, bivalent units are often associated with transitive constructions, wherein a verb takes a subject and a direct object. However, bivalence is not limited to surface transitivity; it is a deeper semantic requirement governed by the verb’s argument structure. Semantically, bivalent units encode complex relationships involving action, causation, perception, and transfer, often involving multiple participants with distinct roles in theevent being described. The significance of bivalent units extends beyond grammatical classification—they are central to theories of thematic role assignment, valency, and the syntax-semantics interface. In typological and generative grammar, understanding how bivalent verbs behave offers insight into universal principles of language structure as well as the specific mechanisms used by different languages to realize argument roles. Additionally, the study of bivalent constructions reveals much about language processing, acquisition, and even translation, as different languages vary inhow theymark and structuresuch predicates. page131 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ISSN:2692-5206,ImpactFactor:12,23 AmericanAcademicpublishers,volume05,issue05,2025 Journal: https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai This article aims to provide a thorough examination of the syntactic and semantic features of bivalent units, considering both theoretical perspectives and empirical data. It draws upon frameworks such as dependency grammar, theta theory, and role and reference grammar, and illustrates thediscussion with examples from English and other world languages. By doing so, the paper seeks to clarify how bivalent predicates function, how they differ from monovalent and trivalent structures, and why they are essential for a deeper understanding of linguistic competence and performance. In linguistic theory, the concept of valency—originally introduced by Lucien Tesnière (1959)—refers to the capacity of a predicate, most often a verb, to govern a specific number of arguments. Bivalent units, also known as divalent predicates, are those that inherently require two arguments to form a semantically and syntactically complete clause. These arguments usually correspond to semantic roles such as agent and patient, or experiencer and theme, depending onthelexical semantics of theverb. For example, in the English sentence “The teacher explained the lesson,” the verb explained necessitates both a subject (the teacher) who performs the action and an object (the lesson) that receives or undergoes the explanation. Without either of these constituents, the proposition remains incomplete or ungrammatical (“The teacher explained” leaves the listenerexpecting moreinformation). Bivalent units contrast with monovalent (intransitive) and trivalent (ditra