The category "complex predicate" includes a wide range of constructions: e.g. serial verb constructions, light verb constructions, particle + verb constructions, among others. There are however no clear definitions of the category. Analysts implicitly use monoclausality as the criterion Ð any monoclausal structure where predicate information comes from distinct word forms produces a complex predicate. We show that taking monoclausality as a criterion does not produce a coherent class of predicate structures. Rather, we show that there are two quite distinct ways of combining predicational information within monoclausal structures.
One method, which we call 'merger' produces a class of predicate structures whose range coincides with the semantic range of simplex predicates. Proto-typical 'coverb' constructions, such as those found in Northern Australia and in Afro-Asiatic languages are constructions of this kind. The other method, which we call 'coindexation', is typical of many 'serial verb' constructions. It has a much wider semantic range, which may overlap to some degree with that of simplex predicates. However, it always extends to semantic structures which cannot be expressed by simplex predicates. We show that 'coindexation' structures are multi-predicational and not comparable to simplex predicates. We show how our models explain the many differences between the two ways of combining predicate information within monoclausal structures.