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Abstract
This thesis provides a holistic approach to get constructions in English by combining a Minimalist, generative approach with the attention to usage and function found in a usage-based approach. First, a structural analysis is proposed which will answer the questions of how to account for (1) the different types of get in an accurate and unified manner (2) the ambiguous thematic roles of the subject, and (3) the additional recipient argument position found in causative usages of get. Secondly, a grammaticalization account of the evolution of these different get constructions will be considered. A grammaticalization pathway will be established and then methods of formalizing this kind of grammaticalization process within a Minimalist framework will be investigated.