Locatives as events

A place PP like 'in Paris' denotes a kind of thing/event - the set of: (a) things which are located in Paris; and (b) events which take place in Paris. In other words, a place function like IN converts a thing, PARIS, into an event, IN(PARIS). The denotation of 'church in Paris' is the intersection of the denotata of 'church' and 'in Paris'. The denotation of 'Kim slept in Paris' is the intersection of the denotata of 'Kim slept' and 'in Paris'.

1. 'Kim slept' - λe.sleep(e,Kim)

2. 'in Paris' - λPλf.Pf & at(f,in(Paris))

3. 'Kim slept in Paris' - λf.sleep(f,Kim) & at(f,in(Paris))

The same goes for path PPs like 'into Paris' - this denotes the set of motion events which occur along a trajectory which originates outwith and terminates within Paris:

1. 'Kim is driving' - λe.drive(e,Kim)

2. 'into Paris' - λPλf.Pf & to(f,in(Paris))

3. 'Kim is driving into Paris' - λf.drive(f,Kim) & to(f,in(Paris))

But I'm not sure how to handle an argument PP, as in 'Kim put the book into the box'. What about: λe.put(e,Kim,book) & to(e,in(box)), where put(e,x,y) entails go(e,y).

Jorgensen and Lonning 1

Section 1 ('Introduction') of Fredrik Jorgensen and Jan Tore Lonning (2008): A Minimal Recursion Semantic Analysis of Locatives (CL 35(2):229-270)

1. 'Kim slept [in Paris]' - this is a static locative, which locates the whole event.

2. 'Kim is driving into Paris' - this is a directional locative, which specifies the trajectory of the motion.

3. 'The mouse ran [under the table]' - this locative is ambiguous between static (cf. 'The mouse ran around [under the table]') and directional (cf. 'The mouse ran under the table and stayed there' or 'The mouse ran under the table into a hole in the wall').

4. 'A mouse appeared [from under the table]' - this locative is directional, but specifies the source of the trajectory, rather than the goal or some midpoint.

5. 'Kim put the book [on/onto the table]' - the locative can be either (intrinsically) static or directional, but is always interpreted as a goal (thanks to the verb meaning).

6. 'A child ran [down] [under the bridge]' - here we have two directional locatives, one intransitive, one transitive. How can their semantics be composed?