INTERACTION AND CAUSATION - CAUSATIVE CONSTRUCTIONS IN MODERN STANDARD DUTCH

The Dutch verbs doen ('do') and laten ('let') categorize an event as i nvolving either direct or indirect causation, respectively. The latter means that another force than the agent's is seen as more immediately involved in bringing about the effect, and is therefore especially su ited to indicate interactions between humans: i.e. mind-to-mind causat ion. The difference between these verbs reflects the folk world view i n which the mental world is seen as separate from the physical, each h aving distinct causal properties. We show how this explains the sharp difference, observable in usage, in the preferences of both verbs for animate and inanimate participants. Another cultural cognitive model p laying a role in the use of doen vs. laten is the 'folk model of the m ind', which governs our understanding of mental processes such as perc eption and belief. Against the background of this model, speakers expl oit the choice between the two verbs for particular effects, e.g. to a ttribute particular causal powers to certain referents, such as God or government authorities, or, combining verb choice with case marking, to subtly indicate different degrees of autonomy and affectedness of c ausees. The study demonstrates the intimate relation between cognitive models, pragmatic centextual factors, and lexical semantics.