Hi,
Here, the adjectives modify the nouns as subjects preceding them not the verbs. One more example, Open your mouth large.
The only problem with “Open your mouth large” is that no native speaker would ever say it. “Open your mouth wide” is the only correct idiom in this context.
Furthermore, “wide” doesn’t necessarily link to a noun. Dentists just say “Open wide” many times a day: once could possibly argue that “mouth” is understood though unspoken.
The distinction between copular and action verbs is a very hazy one, and a lot of verbs can be either, depending on the context. The rule originally learned by Hanifa is therefore not in practice very helpful. Generally speaking, verbs are qualified by adverbs, not adjectives, but there are many exceptions such as the ones you quote, and there unfortunately are no simple rules for deciding what they are. Listening to and reading English produced by native speakers is the best way of familiarising yourself with what is idiomatic and what is not.
It doesn’t link to a noun. “Wide,” as in this situation, can be an adverb. “Large” would not make sense.
‘lie open’ and ‘burst open’ can be considered phrasal verbs. Besides, to change the way of view a little, ‘lie’ and ‘burst’ could be, IMO, considered acting as “a sort of” copula.
I don’t see these as copulas. They would be the only copulas that are always action verbs.
Thank you for correcting it. Wide is of course the correct word.
Mister Micawber,
Your comments are highly appreciated.
Please guide us,
Thanks,
Er.S.M.M.Hanifa
I’ve found the answer to your question. “Open” is also an adverb.
I wouldn’t dismiss the rule for linking verbs and action verbs as not very useful in practice. It has broad application.
Mister Micawber,
Mr. Mordant defines ‘open’ as adverb.
(eg): He pushed open the door.
Keep open your eyes.
The book lay open on the table.
The bag burst open.
In all above sentences, do you admit ‘open’ is used as adverb.
Since I consider and respect you as one of the great grammarian,
I earnestly solicit your opinion.
Please comment,
Thanks.
Er.S.M.M.Hanifa
In the first two examples, “open” is an adjective.
He pushed the door open = Resultative adjective
Keep your eyes open = Adjective
Compare with “Keep your hair neat” and “Keep your ideas private.”
In your last two examples, “open” is an adverb. This may be a fine point to mention, but it’s never necessary to say something burst open. It most certainly cannot burst closed.
Mr. Mordant,
Are you answering me on the advice of Mister Micawber?
Let Mr. Micawber answer me.
We all hear his learned comments.
I hope to hear from Mister Micawber.
Thanks,
Er.S.M.M.Hanifa
Hi Mordant,
I would agree with all but your last point.
To say a bag burst open is indicative of how forcefully the bag opened. The following sentences should build two very different images of what is essentially the same event:
“As he placed the bag on the floor it fell forward and opened allowing the contents to slip out.”
“He threw the bag down, upon which it burst open and ejected the contents all over the floor.”
I still don’t really see why “open” is necessary, and even after checking the dictionary, I noticed that one of the definitions for “burst” is “to break open.” “Burst open” sounds more emphatic to me, but it doesn’t seem to offer any more information. Whenever I think of something “bursting” or “bursting open,” it seems I can use the other interchangeably. “Burst open” sounds redundant to me. It almost sounds like “He shut the door closed” or “He closed the door shut.” I think “burst” alone does the trick here.
I wasn’t answering you on his advice directly. I just wanted to point out to you that in two of your examples, “open” was actually not an adjective even according to my explanation.
To start from a fresh viewpoint, I think what we are looking at here are adverbials as complements or ‘predication adjuncts’. Here are some examples from Quirk et al:
The trip is tomorrow.
They kept out of trouble.
She grew tall.
We got home at nine.
He was in a hurry.
The cheese turned green.
The children behaved well.
The test took 30 minutes.
The verbs appear to me to be at various points along a line between linking and action verbs, and we could probably argue adjective vs adverb for hours, but I shan’t join in: it gives me a headache.
I don’t see how the “turn” example fits here. That does appear to be a linking verb. “Green” is hardly adverbial, and I don’t see how it can be an adjunct since the sentence needs “green” to be grammatical. “Turn” just means “become” here.
In the case of “open” and “wide,” however, they are actually are defined by dictionaries as adverbs. I think that using the typical adverbial form could result in a different interpretation sometimes.
The book lay openly on the table. = Likely to mean just out in the open with no attempt at concealment
As far as I know, Quirk et al may have suggested ‘The cheese turned green.’ = The cheese changed (through metamorphism) so as to be green. Of course grammatically, turn could be regarded as equivalent to become here.
It is the equivalent of “become.”
From the dictionary:
62.
to change so as to be; become: a lawyer turned poet; to turn pale.
Indeed.
BTW, I am still curious why “a lawyer turned poet” but not “*a lawyer turned a poet”, although I know a few semantic explanations on it. Yet, if it is the equivalent, cf.
A lawyer became a poet.
A lawyer turned into a poet.
It seems that the issue is not so simple and easy, and the adverbial theory not beside the mark either.