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In a paper I read, on the fifth page (labelled "359"), it says resultative secondary predicates can only be stative adjectival passives. For example, "John hammered the metal flat" is valid but "John hammered the metal flattened" is not. However, there are other secondary predicates that don't follow this rule. "I prefer my food salted" uses "salted," a resultative, as a secondary predicate. Also, "This software comes pre-installed by the manufacturer" is a valid sentence, but I don't think "pre-installed" is an adjectival passive, so I am not quite sure about the rules on secondary predicates and passives.

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You're confusing terminology.

"John hammered the metal flat" is indeed a resultative construction: the hammering brings about the flatness.

But "I prefer/eat my food salted/hot" is an object-orientated depictive construction. My preferring/eating does not bring about the saltedness/hotness (though some prior process has done). And "This software comes pre-installed by the manufacturer" is a subject-orientated depictive construction, like "John arrived here totally exhausted."

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    Well. I read an article that grouped them similarly, so I used the term. www1.icsi.berkeley.edu/~kay/bcg/II-Pred.html
    – Joe
    Commented Jul 24, 2015 at 21:18
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    That's not how I read the article. The term 'resultative' is used in section 7, but only for states brought about by the action the verb is describing.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jul 24, 2015 at 21:33
  • They put it as Resulting States.
    – Joe
    Commented Jul 24, 2015 at 21:34
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    You're not distinguishing what they call '[3] End-State Secondary Predicates': The cup arrived broken. / The soldiers reached the camp exhausted. / The boy delivered the package wet..... from resultatives: [7] Resulting States He wriggled loose. / We squirmed free. / They shot him dead. / She painted the cabin red. / I pounded the metal flat. / I shouted myself hoarse. / She ran herself ragged. / She ate herself sick. / He drank himself silly.>>
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jul 24, 2015 at 21:41
  • Well, I understand that resulting states can only use stative adjectival passives, but I just don't know about the rules for other secondary predicates. Can I use verbal passives like when I say "I found the garbage thrown on the sidewalk" and "I prefer my garbage thrown away in the dumpster?"
    – Joe
    Commented Jul 24, 2015 at 21:51

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