This paper examines Serial Verb Constructions (SVCs) from a new interdisciplinary perspective by linking linguistic analysis models with the sociological Theory of the Formal Situation (FS). At its core, by re-evaluating cross-linguistic data through this novel lens, the study offers a critique of established, purely morphosyntactic definitions—specifically Martin Haspelmath’s feature-based approach—arguing that such models often neglect pragmatic context and situational embedding. The paper posits that linguistic structures do not primarily follow an innate grammatical code; instead, they emerge as representations of universal situational dimensions: space, time, and quantity. The Principle of the Tendency towards Unity is introduced as a fundamental motive for human action and linguistic expression. It suggests that actors strive to preserve and expand their “essential units,” perceiving situations primarily as unities. Based on this theoretical framework, an alternative definition of SVCs is proposed. This definition emphasizes the absence of temporal gaps and the perception of a “single situation” alongside criteria such as the use of independent verbs and the lack of linking elements. From a sociological standpoint, SVCs are interpreted as highly efficient descriptions of frequent everyday situations grounded in shared background expectations and a “restricted code”. Finally, the cross-linguistic distribution of these constructions is explained through the concept of path dependence: once established, these efficient linguistic structures are maintained because switching to alternative codes would incur significant social and cognitive costs. The study concludes that a view of the “formal situation” provides new explanatory models for the universal development of grammar, suggesting that linguistic categories are a necessary consequence of the formal features of the situations they represent.Originally submitted as a seminar paper for the course 'Clause linkage from a typological perspective' (WS 2023, Institute of Linguistics, University of Graz). This is an expanded English version.
Peter Bauer (Sun,) studied this question.