10. Infinitival clauses
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Guido Mensching
Abstract
This chapter surveys the range of infinitival clause types that exists in Romance languages, both in embedded and non-embedded contexts. It then discusses the status of left peripheral prepositional elements, which will be roughly divided into complementizers and real prepositions. A larger part is dedicated to the subject of infinitive constructions, including basic aspects of the theory of control that are necessary for the interpretation of silent (covert) subjects, and the different types of lexically expressed (overt) subjects. The latter are so-called raising constructions and accusative-and-infinitive constructions, which exist besides the characteristic property of many Romance languages to license an overt nominative subject in infinitive clauses. Finally, some remarks will be made on the internal structure of infinitive clauses, including the notion of restructuring. The examples are mostly taken from French, Italian, and Spanish, but other languages (Portuguese, Catalan, Occitan, Sardinian, and Romanian) are also discussed. The general aim of the chapter is to show the basic typology of Romance infinitive constructions, highlighting the aspects that are common to most or even all Romance languages, but also pointing out the “parameters” of cross-linguistic variation.
Abstract
This chapter surveys the range of infinitival clause types that exists in Romance languages, both in embedded and non-embedded contexts. It then discusses the status of left peripheral prepositional elements, which will be roughly divided into complementizers and real prepositions. A larger part is dedicated to the subject of infinitive constructions, including basic aspects of the theory of control that are necessary for the interpretation of silent (covert) subjects, and the different types of lexically expressed (overt) subjects. The latter are so-called raising constructions and accusative-and-infinitive constructions, which exist besides the characteristic property of many Romance languages to license an overt nominative subject in infinitive clauses. Finally, some remarks will be made on the internal structure of infinitive clauses, including the notion of restructuring. The examples are mostly taken from French, Italian, and Spanish, but other languages (Portuguese, Catalan, Occitan, Sardinian, and Romanian) are also discussed. The general aim of the chapter is to show the basic typology of Romance infinitive constructions, highlighting the aspects that are common to most or even all Romance languages, but also pointing out the “parameters” of cross-linguistic variation.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Manuals of Romance Linguistics V
- Table of Contents VII
- Abbreviations XI
- 1. Introduction 1
-
The verbal domain
- 2. Subjects 27
- 3. Objects 89
- 4. Argument structure and argument structure alternations 154
- 5. Clitic pronouns 183
- 6. Voice and voice alternations 230
- 7. Auxiliaries 272
- 8. Causative and perception verbs 299
- 9. Copular and existential constructions 332
-
The clausal and sentential domains
- 10. Infinitival clauses 369
- 11. Tense, aspect, mood 397
- 12. Negation and polarity 449
- 13. Dislocations and framings 472
- 14. Focus Fronting 502
- 15. Cleft constructions 536
- 16. Interrogatives 569
- 17. Exclamatives, imperatives, optatives 603
- 18. Coordination and correlatives 647
-
The nominal domain
- 19. Gender and number 691
- 20. Determination and quantification 727
- 21. Adjectival and genitival modification 771
- 22. Relative clauses 804
-
Typological aspects
- 23. Syntheticity and Analyticity 839
- 24. Basic constituent orders 887
- List of Contributors 933
- Index 941
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Manuals of Romance Linguistics V
- Table of Contents VII
- Abbreviations XI
- 1. Introduction 1
-
The verbal domain
- 2. Subjects 27
- 3. Objects 89
- 4. Argument structure and argument structure alternations 154
- 5. Clitic pronouns 183
- 6. Voice and voice alternations 230
- 7. Auxiliaries 272
- 8. Causative and perception verbs 299
- 9. Copular and existential constructions 332
-
The clausal and sentential domains
- 10. Infinitival clauses 369
- 11. Tense, aspect, mood 397
- 12. Negation and polarity 449
- 13. Dislocations and framings 472
- 14. Focus Fronting 502
- 15. Cleft constructions 536
- 16. Interrogatives 569
- 17. Exclamatives, imperatives, optatives 603
- 18. Coordination and correlatives 647
-
The nominal domain
- 19. Gender and number 691
- 20. Determination and quantification 727
- 21. Adjectival and genitival modification 771
- 22. Relative clauses 804
-
Typological aspects
- 23. Syntheticity and Analyticity 839
- 24. Basic constituent orders 887
- List of Contributors 933
- Index 941
