Chapter 8: Ergative Reciprocal Verbs

There are some verbs which are both ergativeand reciprocal . Verbs of this kind have the label V-RECIPERG in the Collins Cobuild English Dictionary. A typical ergative reciprocal verb has the following features: 1 Like an ergative verb, it has both patterns where the verb is not followed directly by a noun group (for example pl-n V and Vwith n) and patterns where the verb is followed directly by a noun group (for example V pln and V n with n). The person or thing indicated by the Subject of the first kind of pattern may also be indicated by the noun group following the verb in the second kind of pattern. For example: The oilmixes with the other ingredients; She mixed the oil with the other ingredients. 2 Like a reciprocal verb, it has a pattern where the verb is used with a plural Subject indicating the participants in an action (for example pl-n V), and one or more patterns where one participant is indicated by the Subject and the other is indicated by the Object, prepositional Object, or Adjunct (for example Vwith n). For example: The salt water and fresh water mix; The salt watermixes with the fresh water. Ergative reciprocal verbs all indicate that two or more people, groups, or things join together or are linked in some way, or that someone or something causes two or more people, groups, or things to join together or be linked.

Pattern combinations
An ergative reciprocal verb has one of these three pattern combinations: Pattern combination 1: pl-n V; V with n; V pl-n; V n with n The liquids will blend to make a rich sauce. The chocolate blendswith the coffee.Blend the remaining ingredients. Blendthe butter with the sugar. *Pattern combination 2: V; pl-n V n; V n with n The peace talks will reopen tomorrow. The two groups reopenedtalks yesterday. Theyhave reopenednegotiations with the government. *Pattern combination 3: pl-n V; V n; V pl-n; V nto/with n The chairs all matched.Her hat matched her coat.Match the two lengths of cloth. We will match the fabric to your existing furnishing.

Pattern combination 1: pl-n V; V with n; V pl-n; V n with n

These verbs have four patterns. Two patterns are reciprocal: pl-n V: The verb is used with a plural Subject. * V with n: The verb is used with a Subject indicating one participant and is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the other. In most cases, the prepositional phrase consists of with and a noun group; in a few cases, the preposition is from, to, oragainst. Two patterns are not reciprocal: V pl-n: The verb is followed by a plural noun group. * V n with n: The verb is followed by a noun group and a prepositional phrase. In most cases, the prepositional phrase consists of with and a noun group; in a few cases, the preposition is from, to, oragainst. pl-n V
plural noun group Subject Verb group Verb

The values of exports and imports Oil and water

should balance. don't mix.

V with n
Verb group Subject The flash The smell of sage Verb should balance with prepositional Object with the normal lighting. the salt air. noun group

mixed

with

V pl-n
Verb group Subject Planners Verb must balance Mix plural noun group Object these two demands. the dry ingredients.

V n with n
Verb group Subject Verb noun group Object with prepositional Object noun group

He

is balancing

the classics

with

a variety of modern works. the sugar.

Mix

the flour

with

Verbs with this combination of patterns belong to the following meaning groups:
1.1 T HE 1.2 T HE 1.3 T HE `MER GE ' `IN TER TWIN E ' `SEP A R A TE '
GR OUP GR OUP GR OUP

1.1 The `merge' group In the patterns pl-n V andV with n, these verbs indicate that two or more things or people join together or touch. In the patterns V pl-n and V nwith n, they are concerned with someone or something joining things or people, or making them touch. A short distance from where these two creeksmerge, a duck emerged from the water. It hassince merged with other parties to form the Janata Dal that is now in power in Delhi. Rob

Farbrother, chief of Nexus, says consumers will force companies who issue cards to merge their systems, so that most cards will be accepted by everyone. He seemed to want to do something drastic with the paper, but what? Close it down, merge it with another publication?The orchestra is to be merged with the orchestra of Scottish Opera to create the National Orchestra of Scotland. The verb connect has the patterns V to n and V n ton, not the patterns V withn and V n with n. His project involves compact disc players thatconnect to personal computers and play images as well as music.Tendons are tough fibrous bands of elastic tissue which connect muscles to the bone which that muscle moves. The verb clink has the patterns V against n andV n against n, not the patterns V with n and V nwith n. The rifle clinkedagainst a rock as it swung in front of his chest.She clinked her glass against his. The phrasal verbs pair offand pair up usually have the passive patterns pl-nbe V-ed P and be V-ed Pwith n, rather than the active equivalents. All their patterns are shown here. We sort of paired upproperly in the Lower Fourth because we found we shared a taste for making a nuisance of ourselves. She has no immediate desire to pair up with someone, preferring to concentrate on her career as a photographer. Non-smokers are paired up.In Greece, a group of male contestants' mothers protested that their sonshad been paired upwith unsuitable women.
amalgamate blend bond clink combine conjoin connect cross-breed entwine fuse hybridize integrate interlock merge mix unify pair off pair up

1.2 The `intertwine' group In the patterns pl-n V andV with n, these verbs indicate that two or more things or people have a connection. In the patternsV pl-n and V n with n, they are concerned with someone or something connecting things or people. Sautet's flowing, unfussy style brings each of these figures into clear focus astheir lives intertwine.As you will see, each of these factors intertwineswith the other two. This is appropriate, foradvertising and market research areclosely intertwined. She had learned many strange and terrible things since some trick of her geneshad intertwined her life so utterly with Jonty Thrale's. The verbs interconnectand interlock usually have the passive pattern pl-nbe V-ed, rather than the active patterns V pl-n andV n with n. They are ideally suited to organisation-wide work-group computing, whereall users are interconnected. Students cannot identify world leaders or the capitals of other countries at a time when the destinies of all nationsare interlocked. The verb correlate has the pattern V to n as well as the pattern V with n. It has the passive patternspl-n be V-ed and be V-edwith n, not the active patterns V pl-n and V nwith n. The performance of a sidedoes not necessarily correlate to the ability of its leader. Also, we were never totally convinced that the two effects were correlated. It has also been shown conclusively that these mindrelated changes are correlatedwith healthful changes in the body. The verb relate has the patterns V to n and V n ton, not the patterns V withn and V n with n. In any society there will be reasonably clear cultural differences which relateto features of its social structure. Sociologistsmight relate these films to violence on the street .
combine connect correlate interconnect interface interlink interlock interrelate intertwine interweave relate

1.3 The `separate' group In the patterns pl-n V andV from n, these verbs indicate that two or more things or people move apart or stop being connected, physically or metaphorically. In the patterns V pl-n and V nfrom n, they are concerned with someone or something moving things or people apart or ending a connection between them. This mascara is easy to apply. The eyelashesseparate nicely; it doesn't clump or flake. The forward part of the fuselage and cockpitseparated from the main body of the aircraft within two to three seconds of the blast.A scuffle developed. The women's teenage girls tried to separate them.Undercooking makes it impossible to separatethe meat from the bones; overcooking destroys the texture and flavor. The verb split up has the patterns pl-n V P, V Pwith n, and V n P. When Ellen and her husband split up, she took her three teenaged children and moved back to her hometown. Shesplit up with her husband more than two years ago and now wants to divorce him. It's obvious she's being malicious and trying to split us up but it's not working.
separate split up

1.4 The `dovetail' group In the patterns pl-n V andV with n, these verbs indicate that two or more things are similar or compatible in some way. In the patterns V pl-n andV n with n, they are concerned with someone or something using or putting two or more similar or compatible things together, or putting them together successfully. We include here line up, which is concerned with putting two or more things in the right position relative to each other. Despite the fact that most of his assumptions were based on guesswork, theyall dovetailed so neatly that there must be some underlying truth. The company is interested in routes which would dovetail with its bus operations. Pearsonmight be able to dovetail the schedules of BSkyB and UK Goldto attract viewers away from ITV to satellite. The management of local affairs should dovetailregional interests with those of the entire country. The phrasal verb match up also has the patterns V P to n and V n P to n. Under new EC law, package tour operators must pay compensation if the holiday they have sold you doesn't match upto the one you receive.Some are graduates who have not been able to get jobs, while others are in the middle of doing their studies. We match themup to the appropriate levels.
balance co-ordinate dovetail match mesh (do not) mix rhyme synchronize line up match up

1.5 The `alternate' group In the patterns pl-n V andV with n, these verbs indicate that two or more things occur or do something alternately or swap roles or places. In the patterns V pl-n and V n with n, they are concerned with someone or something using two or more things alternately or swapping them over. That evening just before sundown Jozsef went into an alarming series of attacks, the tremors and the comaalternating without any interval between.Depression can alternate with high spirits, noisy outbursts and even euphoria. Make a fan-like design with the apple and liver inside the ring,alternating the liver and apple. The textalternates naturalistic dialogue with surreal, comic train announcements and passionate monologues.
alternate interchange

Pattern combination 2: V; pl-n V n; V nwith n

These verbs have three patterns. Two patterns are reciprocal: pl-n V n: The verb is used with a plural Subject and is followed by a noun group. * V n with n: The verb is used with a Subject indicating one participant and is followed by a noun group. This is followed by a prepositional phrase consisting of with and a noun group which indicates the other participant. One pattern is not reciprocal: V: The verb need not be followed by anything. V
Verb group Subject The peace negotiations Verb have reopened.

pl-n V n
plural noun group Subject Verb group Verb noun group Object

Caterpillar Inc. and its striking union

reopened

negotiations.

V n with n
Verb group Subject Zuckerman Verb reopened noun group Object talks with Adjunct with Pete Hamill. noun group

Verbs with this combination of patterns belong to the following meaning groups: 2.1 The `normalize' group These verbs indicate that two or more countries, groups, or people start communicating with each other again. The government invited him to become its exclusive business agent in the United States when relations normalized.They say Japan already made formal apologies to China when the two countries normalizedrelations 20 years ago.Baker said that Washington will normalize economic relations with Cambodia as soon as the United Nations team begins implementing the new peace treaty.
normalize reopen

2.2 The `clink' group These verbs indicate that two or more people put their drinking glasses together or touch each other. They have the patterns pl-n V, pl-n V pl-n, and V pl-n with n. Their glasses clinked, their eyes met. The twoclinked glasses like a pair of Red Army colonels downing a toast of vodka, then refilled their glasses from a Lalique decanter on Paco's coffee table.Politicians and businessmen clinkedglasses with him at the Leipzig trade fairs.
clink touch

Pattern combination 3: pl-n V; V n; V pl-n; V n to/with n

These verbs have four patterns. Two patterns are reciprocal: pl-n V: The verb is used with a plural Subject. * V n: The verb is used with a Subject indicating one participant and is followed by a noun group indicating the other. Two patterns are not reciprocal: V pl-n: The verb is followed by a plural noun group. * V n to/with n: The verb is followed by a noun group and a prepositional phrase consisting of to orwith and a noun group. pl-n V
plural noun group Subject Cats' territories Verb group Verb may overlap.

Vn

Verb group Subject The second toe Verb overlaps

noun group Object the third toe.

V pl-n
Verb group Subject Verb Overlap plural noun group Object the strips.

V n to/with n
Verb group Subject Verb noun group Object your right hand to/with prepositional Object noun group

Overlap

with

your left.

There are five verbs with this combination of patterns. The verbs matchand overlap have the pattern V n with n. The verbs marry, match andtouch have the pattern V n to n. He compared the sequence of visits entered in the appointments diary with the dates quoted at the back of the file. Theymatched. They told him he couldn't board the plane unless the name on his ticket matched the one on his passport .Magnetic boards are also very popular because the children can matchshapes, animals and numbers, effectively developing their memory skills. Mr Wright's task is to match graduates with firms. She held out her hand andtheir fingers touched.Smoothly lower the bar so that it touches the middle of your chest , then press it upwards to arm's length again. Laura and I touched kneesagain. She touched her glass to his. The verb wed has the passive pattern pl-n be V-ed, not the active patternsV pl-n or V n to/with n. We were wed in 1928 and had a very happy marriage.
marry match overlap touch wed

Emphasizing reciprocity
When ergative reciprocal verbs are used in patterns with a plural Subject, they can be emphasized with phrases in the same way as ordinary reciprocal verbs (see Chapter 6). With most of them, areciprocal pronoun(each other or one another) can be used after the appropriate preposition or after the verb. The third possibility is that building societies may merge with each other. These musclesoverlap each other. With the verbs listed below, the adverb togethercan be used for emphasis. Given enough speed,nuclei fusetogether and make a new, heavier element. Biological, psychological, and cultural factors all meshtogether to produce illness.
blend bond clink dovetail fusemerge mesh