On the Relation Between the Se Element and Pronoun Sebe (Self)

• Main Author: Ivana Oraić Rabušić
• Format: Article
• Language: Croatian
• Published: Institut za hrvatski jezik i jezikoslovlje 2015-01-01
• Series: Rasprave: Časopis Instituta za Hrvatski Jezik i Jezikoslovlje
• Subjects: <i>se</i> element; pronoun <i>sebe</i> (<i>self</i>); reflexive verbs; Croatian
• Online Access: http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/209341

The paper discusses the relation between a <i>se</i> element and pronoun <i>sebe</i> (<i>self</i>) and, in that correlation, a different approach to reflexive verbs. The approach to defining the <i>se</i> element in certain Croatian grammars published since the beginning of 20th century until today and other relevant scientific bibliography is presented at the beginning of the paper. In most of the aforementioned bibliography the <i>se</i> element is classified as a pronoun, while being considered a particle in a smaller amount of scientific papers. Based on the postulates of some authors (Sells, Zaenen, Zec (1987), Moskovljević (1997), Medová (2009), Oliva (2010)), a proof of the non-identity of the <i>se</i> element and pronoun <i>sebe</i> (<i>self</i>) is attempted. Analysis is based on the approach of K. Oliva, according to which the <i>se</i> element is a particle and it cannot be treated as a pronoun, which is as an argument realized on the object position of transitive verbs. This implies a different approach to reflexive verbs. Reflexive verbs are considered a particular group of verbs with the existence of the <i>se</i> element along with the verb as lexical unit. This element is a part of the morphological and lexico-semantic structure of the verb, i.e. a part of the verb itself. Reflexive verbs originate from their transitive (or intransitive) verb pair. In distinction from that, the <i>se</i> element cannot be a part of the aformentioned transitive verbs, but can have pronoun <i>sebe</i> (<i>self</i>) as an object. Syntactic analysis of a few reflexive verbs and their transitive verb pairs was attempted in order to present a new approach to reflexive verbs.