Abstract EN:

Phrasal verbs are polylexical units comprised of a verb and an adverbial particle. They are a dynamic location for complex predicative and enunciative operations, where three key functions (localisation, synthetic derivation and metaphorisation) intersect. According to the greater or lesser degree of compositionality involved, one can distinguish three levels of phrasal verbs. Each of these may be studied in correlation with three other criteria, viz. Its Aktionsart class and syntactic/semantic valency. At the very heart of the English enunciation, phrasaI verbs demonstrate the concentration of predicative force bestowed upon them by the particle, via the operation of localisation. Translation patterns reveal that French has almost the opposite tendency: 1. Localisation in French is either grarnmaticalised (preverbs, reflexive/adverbial pronouns) or else disappears altogether. 2. Predication is sometimes intensified, sometimes toned down, as French prefers to adopt hypernym as a solution rather than the [QL T -> LOC] pattern. The translation of phrasaI verbs thus attests to two contrasting enunciative scenarios, with English opting for the "Statement mode" while French prefers the "Comment mode".