The complements of causative make in Late Middle English
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Yoko Iyeiri
Abstract
The present paper discusses the complement forms of causative make in the fifteenth century. It shows that the verb is still followed most frequently by (for) to-infinitives towards the end of the Middle English (ME) period, and that the use of bare infinitives is not yet the rule. Simultaneously, the choice of complements appears to be subject to certain linguistic conditions. The make believe type, for example, displays a slight inclination to occur with bare infinitives. Also, the cognitive “integration” or “directness” between make and its complement seems to be relevant. Furthermore, the discussion demonstrates that Rohdenburg’s Complexity Principle explains a number of linguistic conditions related to the choice of complement forms.
Abstract
The present paper discusses the complement forms of causative make in the fifteenth century. It shows that the verb is still followed most frequently by (for) to-infinitives towards the end of the Middle English (ME) period, and that the use of bare infinitives is not yet the rule. Simultaneously, the choice of complements appears to be subject to certain linguistic conditions. The make believe type, for example, displays a slight inclination to occur with bare infinitives. Also, the cognitive “integration” or “directness” between make and its complement seems to be relevant. Furthermore, the discussion demonstrates that Rohdenburg’s Complexity Principle explains a number of linguistic conditions related to the choice of complement forms.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of abbreviations vii
- Introduction 1
-
Corpus linguistics today and tomorrow
- Can’t see the wood for the trees? 13
- Spelling variation in Middle English manuscripts 31
-
Aspects of language change
- The development of compound numerals in English Biblical translations 49
- The complements of causative make in Late Middle English 59
- The pragmaticalization and intensification of verily , truly and really 75
- Concept-driven semasiology and onomasiology of CLERGY 93
- ANGER and TĒNE in Middle English 109
-
Middle and Modern English case studies
- The subjunctive vs. modal auxiliaries 127
- Some notes on the distribution of the quantifier all in Middle English 141
- Interjections in Middle English 157
- Why and what in Early Modern English drama 177
- Colloquialization and not -contraction in nineteenth-century English 191
-
Wright’s English Dialect Dictionary and thereafter
- The complexity and diversity of the words in Wright’s English Dialect Dictionary 209
- Etymology in the English Dialect Dictionary 225
- Towards an understanding of Joseph Wright’s sources 241
- The importance of being Janus 257
- ... ging uns der ganze alte Dialektbegriff in eine Illusion auf 269
- Index 285
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of abbreviations vii
- Introduction 1
-
Corpus linguistics today and tomorrow
- Can’t see the wood for the trees? 13
- Spelling variation in Middle English manuscripts 31
-
Aspects of language change
- The development of compound numerals in English Biblical translations 49
- The complements of causative make in Late Middle English 59
- The pragmaticalization and intensification of verily , truly and really 75
- Concept-driven semasiology and onomasiology of CLERGY 93
- ANGER and TĒNE in Middle English 109
-
Middle and Modern English case studies
- The subjunctive vs. modal auxiliaries 127
- Some notes on the distribution of the quantifier all in Middle English 141
- Interjections in Middle English 157
- Why and what in Early Modern English drama 177
- Colloquialization and not -contraction in nineteenth-century English 191
-
Wright’s English Dialect Dictionary and thereafter
- The complexity and diversity of the words in Wright’s English Dialect Dictionary 209
- Etymology in the English Dialect Dictionary 225
- Towards an understanding of Joseph Wright’s sources 241
- The importance of being Janus 257
- ... ging uns der ganze alte Dialektbegriff in eine Illusion auf 269
- Index 285
