A DISTINCTIVE COLLEXEME ANALYSIS OF BE OBLIGED TO V AND BE REQUIRED TO V IN BRITISH ENGLISH

Abstract

This paper investigates two roughly synonymous constructions, be obliged to V and be required to V, in terms of the infinitival complements they attract. Taking the viewpoint of Construction Grammar, which holds that constructions are form-meaning pairings varying in complexity and schematicity, this paper aims to explore the verb complements preferred by the two constructions examined. The research was conducted on the online British National Corpus applying collostructional quantitative analysis, i.e., the distinctive collexeme analysis, developed by Gries and Stefanowitsch (2003). The results reveal that the verbs that can fill the open slot in both constructions share common features, such as dynamic aspect and high transitivity, but also exhibit certain distinctive features. The results also demonstrate that these two constructions, although nearly synonymous and used in formal contexts, differ. Be obliged to tend to co-occur with communication verbs and those encoding verbal or interpersonal actions, whereas be required to predominantly attract formal verbs associated with institutionalized and result-oriented activities, particularly in legal, administrative, and medical contexts.