Sentential complementation of adjectives in French
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Catherine Léger
Abstract
The present paper provides a detailed study of clausal complementation of adjectives in French. Dyadic adjectives selecting a clause as one of their arguments differ with respect to the syntactic realization of their complement; some adjectives introduce both non-finite and tensed complements (in the indicative or in the subjunctive), while others appear exclusively with tenseless complements. I propose to derive the syntactic realization of the complement from the semantic properties of the matrix adjective: depending on their meaning, adjectives select a specific ontological category (proposition, event, action), which is mapped to a particular projection in the syntax (see Rochette 1988). Apparent counterexamples are shown to involve either (i) mono-clausal structures due to complex predicate formation (for certain adjectives that allow only non-finite complements) or (ii) clauses that are not selected elements (arguments) but adjuncts (“impostor” adjectives).
Abstract
The present paper provides a detailed study of clausal complementation of adjectives in French. Dyadic adjectives selecting a clause as one of their arguments differ with respect to the syntactic realization of their complement; some adjectives introduce both non-finite and tensed complements (in the indicative or in the subjunctive), while others appear exclusively with tenseless complements. I propose to derive the syntactic realization of the complement from the semantic properties of the matrix adjective: depending on their meaning, adjectives select a specific ontological category (proposition, event, action), which is mapped to a particular projection in the syntax (see Rochette 1988). Apparent counterexamples are shown to involve either (i) mono-clausal structures due to complex predicate formation (for certain adjectives that allow only non-finite complements) or (ii) clauses that are not selected elements (arguments) but adjuncts (“impostor” adjectives).
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Adjectives 1
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Part I. Syntax
- Syntactic positions of attributive adjectives 29
- The syntactic differences between long and short forms of Russian adjectives 53
- The name of the adjective 85
- Adjectives in Mandarin Chinese 115
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Part II. Semantics
- Comparisons of similarity and difference 155
- Characterizing superlative quantifiers 187
- Superlative adjectives and the licensing of non-modal infinitival subject relatives 233
- Sentential complementation of adjectives in French 265
- Spanish adjectives within bounds 307
- Languages index 333
- Subject index 335
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Adjectives 1
-
Part I. Syntax
- Syntactic positions of attributive adjectives 29
- The syntactic differences between long and short forms of Russian adjectives 53
- The name of the adjective 85
- Adjectives in Mandarin Chinese 115
-
Part II. Semantics
- Comparisons of similarity and difference 155
- Characterizing superlative quantifiers 187
- Superlative adjectives and the licensing of non-modal infinitival subject relatives 233
- Sentential complementation of adjectives in French 265
- Spanish adjectives within bounds 307
- Languages index 333
- Subject index 335
