This paper shows that, in a serial verb construction of Pwo Karen, one of the serialized verbs determines characteristics of the whole group of serialized verbs. Such a verb is called a “head verb”. A head verb determines two characteristics of a serial verb construciton ; that is its volitionality and/or manner of taking arguments.
Serial verb constructions in Pwo Karen can be classified into three types based on the position of the negative particle l_??_- when they are negated: (1) l_??_- V1 V2 type, (2) V1 l_??_- V2 type and (3) l_??_- V1 1_??_- V2 type. Type (1) can be further classified into two groups according to the coreferentialigy of their arguments : A≠S type and S=S/S=A/A=A type.
The head verb of each type is shown as below:
l_??_- V1 V2 type (A≠S): V1
l_??_- V1 V2 type (S=S/S=A/A=A): V2
V1 l_??_- V2 type: V2
l_??_- V1 l_??_- V2 type: V1 and V2