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V. Schmidt, Die Streckformen des deutschen Verbums (The Stretch Forms of the German Verb). Substantive-verbal word combinations in publicistic texts of the years 1948 to 1967, Halle (Saale), 1968, 144 p. A study by the German linguist Veronika Schmidt on verb combinations with verb nouns (e.g. Vortrag halten| Mitteilung machen, Entscheid(- ung) treffen. Lithuanians respectively make a report, adopt a resolution) because of the problematical nature of this issue may also attract the attention of Lithuanianists. As is known, J. Jablonskis, although he himself used to give advice, to receive an invitation, not to have confidence, otherwise similar compounds taisé!. Some opposed such an amendment and defended such compounds. Similarly did J. Palionis, the compiler of J. Jablonski's "Rinktiniy writings". However, even now these forms are valued differently and used even more differently. Therefore, without claiming to be a detailed review, we would like to raise one more theoretical idea of this work, which could be relevant to the Lithuanian language. ir For her work, the author collected more than twelve and a half thousand examples of German publications from the 20-year period (1948—1967). This content-rich book consists of an introduction, three chapters —grammar and syntax analysis, stylistic analysis and summary of extensive statistical data, conclusions and appendices — two registers: verb nouns and verbs (with frequency indication). Verbs and verb nouns? V. Smidt calls analytical phraseological compounds, composed of a noun abstract and a meaningfully faded verb, performing the task of a structural center, and existing in parallel with synthetic forms of the verb, semantically approximately equivalent. The author explains their appearance by substantivation of the verb, which breaks the sentence — no content remains. Then another verb, which becomes a conjunction, will come to the aid. Only one should assume that nounification takes place outside the sentence, and substantiated forms, these verb transformations, are used ready-made in the sentence. Polysemic verbs are most often used in verb conjunction, because their meanings change in the direction of weakening of concrete elements of meaning and strengthening of abstract ones (and at the same time strengthening of abstract1 See. J. Jablonskis, Selected Writings, vol. II, Vilnius, 1959, p. 515. 2 See. ibid., p. 532. * In German Streckformen, literally would be continuous forms. One can only admire the convenience of this unpretentious term (also analogous to Streckverb) and regret that we do not have such a short one. 223 tumas and the main lexical meaning). They are also very conjugated (polyvalent) and therefore form many analytical compounds. These conjunctions are usually called semi-auxiliary verbs*. In German there are quite a lot of them, just as there is a stronger category of auxiliary and modal verbs. Because the meaning of the verb connection is abstracted, faded, the meaning of the compound is not the sum of the values of its components. There is a certain idiosyncrasy, isolation of meanings. This is one of the reasons why these analytical forms are not entirely equivalent to synthetic ones. Other authors have made similar observations. The synthetic form is constant, the action—more general, broader meanings. And in the analytical form the action is detailed and concreted, the semantics is as narrow as possible®. Here we have a really interesting phenomenon: the combination of the abstracted verb and the verb abstract gives a more specific, narrower meaning than the meaning of the synthetic form. V. Ambrazas notes. that such a combination describes not only the act but also its object or result’. Furthermore, the author shows how the meaning of the analytical compound is more or less modified by changing in it, compared to the synthetic form, the factor (ingressive, durative, egressive, inchoative, continuative, resultative, causative), as well as other grammatical (active, passive, reflexive) and syntactic (personal or impersonal sentence construction) categories. The change of functions in analytic compounds in fact provides new variant possibilities. This is also shown by examples in Lithuanian, e.g.: kovotiir pradėti kovą, įsitraukti į kovą —continue the fight, fight — end the fight, stop the fight. Schmidt considers this to be the most important grammatical and syntactical motive for choosing analytical forms. Substitution (replacement) is not possible in such cases. ; Very significant and relevant is the role of the certificate observed by the author, e.g. to report and make an interesting report, to decide and take an important decision. Substitution in these cases is absolutely impossible. The author's statistics show that the certificates (or other extensions such as: make a report on...) can have about 70 percent of cases. In the field of style, treating analytical and synthetic forms as optional, approximately equivalent, V. Šmidt highlights the following motives for the use of verb combinations with verb nouns: the formality, solemnity, publicity, relevance of the message, etc. The author notes that when evaluating these forms, indiscriminate, superficial condemnation and unfounded accusations are increasingly abandoned. The proliferation of these compounds is associated with other linguistic tendencies — substantivation, nominalization, etc. The development of science, technology, education and culture affects the process of thinking, and through it, language. The tendency toward scientificism, abstraction and conceptualism is increasingly stronger. * Since they are often simply desemanticized, becoming as it were grammatized formants, some scholars call them empty verbs (cf. M. A. Uelisep, Anannrn3M H HAHOMATH3M COueTaHHA C „TIYyCTbIMH“ TJIAaroJIiaMH, „L IpoGJjieMbi JEKCHKOJOTHH H rpaMMATHKH“, Bein, II, Munck, 1967, p. 137. 3 Zr. B. H. Auap YCEHKO, K BOIIpOCY O cHHOGOP MHH (0 JIHHTBOCTHJ/IHCTHYECKOM XapakTEpEe CHHOHHMHYECKHX OTHO LIeHH I MEXKJY raaoJJoM H rJjaaroJibHO-uMeHHbIM CJIOBOCOYETAHHEM), Pycckuit si3bIK, ero nzyuenue B Bbiciueli cpeaueii LIKOJIe, Acrpaxaus, 1970, p. 22. ® Zr. Ambrazas, V. Syntax of the Lithuanian language in the Soviet period. Vilnius, 1967, p. 132. 224 It aims at the stability of language forms. And that stability is guaranteed by compounds with a constant noun nucleus, which is confirmed not only by the new languages. H. Jacobi, for example, had already observed a similar phenomenon in the scientific style of Sanskrit in 1903, where it, according to H. Jacobi, had grown to an extraordinary, we might say, frightening degree. The language is also increasingly analytical. The combinations of verbs and verb nouns offer more possibilities to express new content, because the combination of several meaningful elements creates more variants for which there are no synthetic equivalents. Of course, this process has a reverse side as well. The author says she avoided the critical accent. However, she notes that there are also concerns and dangers. With the increase of these analytical compounds, there is a stronger tendency to bypass the dominant structural role of the verb in the sentence, increasing its significant fading. There are cases of unjustified consumption. Sometimes it is difficult to tell whether the combination of a verb and a verb noun is deliberately stylistically chosen or used only by analogy. This is a real threat to the language. Through increasing abstraction, visuality and clarity may be lost. However, the author believes that language development can be influenced, and the more effectively, the more cultured the society. Such thoughts are beyond doubt. Although the stylistic use of these forms will remain practically relevant in Lithuanian language, it would be very useful to have a theoretical experience of this phenomenon. The work of V. Schmidt would be a great stimulus and an indispensable source for microtypological comparisons, from which important conclusions can be drawn about the closeness of languages and their lexical specificity. For example, semi-auxiliary verbs in German are even close 300. However, the Lithuanian jų equivalents of only a few of them might not lag behind in frequency and conjugation (geben —to give, machen —to do, haben —to have, etc.). Others have much less connectivity or even zero, e.g. : Vorsitz fiihren —to preside, Untersuchung fiihren —to interrogate (or Kampf fiihren —to fight); Verzicht leisten refuse; — Sorge tragen to take care, — Verantwortung tragen to answer, to be — responsible; Opfer bringen — pasiaukoti, in Ordnung bringen — sutvarkyti, zu Ausdruck bringen — išreikšti ir and so on. In United Lithuanian there are fewer because there are fewer abstract verbs. iš Therefore, synthetic forms are more common in Lithuanian. Tą In other cases, although analytical ir compounds are used, the verb components are inadequate, e.g. jų : Beweis fiihren to — provide proof; Bring danger — bringing danger, bringing help — (provide) assistance; Frage, Aufgabe stellen raising a — question, a task; Klage erheben — to lodge an appeal. Similarly in other ir languages. For example, Russian desams in analytical compounds correspond to German machen, tun, geben, ziehen, treiben, wirken, erteilen, bringen, etc. ir — iš of the total number of 60 verbs". Russian oxaseeamo (6ausarue, Aro6esHocmob, noMOwWo6, npedno4menue) corresponds to Ukrainian poOumu (6uaus, aacky), nodasamu (donomozy), 6eidJda ea mu (nepeeazy)?. Inadequacy of verb components (same as ir jų interchangeability, cf. e.g.: make |to conduct research) confirms the idea of jų 7 See. M. A. Ilekaep, min. ill., p. 138. 8 See. JI. H. lDiarrhea, OCHOBHBIE rnponeccebi B JIEKCHKE COBpEMEHHbIX BOCTOYHOCJ/IABSIHCKHX SI3bIKOB, CJiaBsiHCcKOe 513biKO3HaHHe, Mocksa, 1966, p. 403. 225 emptiness, desemantization, at least partial grammatization. At the same time, these are important factors in the language's specificity. The next thing is verb nouns. V. Ambrazas claims that in Lithuanian the scope of their use is much narrower?, Undoubtedly, we would find great differences between the abstract prefix -imas, on the one hand, and other prefixes, and especially derivatives of endings, on the other. The latter have a more specific meaning. And only the concreted abstract can become the object of action, which is a necessary condition of the analytical combination. Because the -imas suffixes are derived, for example, sitting, walking, acting, dancing, multiplying, adding, drawing, they are abstracts, which cannot become objects of action, for example, to perform sitting; perform a movement, action, dance, multiplication, sudéjimq; make a drawing. But it is quite possible to say to have a meeting; give a course, perform an action, dance, multiplication, composition; make a drawing, because in these compounds verb nouns have more specific meanings. Similarly, it can be said about the compounds to make a trip, duties; carry out sowing; to have a cough, a dream, a worry, a loss; make a rebuke, exercise; to conclude a truce, marriage, treaty; to make a remark, a promise; lodge a complaint; to provide assistance; achieve victory and so on. And if it is said to make a message, then Here the -ing derivative of the preposition is so concreted that, say, if the message is lost, it would be difficult to make it. Undoubtedly, this valuable work of Veronika Šmidt will receive more detailed study and evaluation in the future, and in Lithuanian language — comprehensive study of verbs and verb combinations. Its necessity is obvious. \ J. Klimavičius: 3 See V. Ambrazas, min. veik., p. 137. 226