Questions tagged [infinitive]
A special verb form not inflected for person and number.
33
questions
2
votes
1
answer
91
views
How do you write split infinitives in x-bar theory syntax trees?
I want to start by saying that I am pretty new to syntax (and linguistics in general for that matter) but I've been trying to wrap my head around x-bar theory and generative grammar in the last weeks.
...
- 21
4
votes
1
answer
563
views
Are there languages without non-finite verb forms at all?
This is inspired by the comments to this answer: Are there languages without any non-finite verb forms, or almost without any non-finite verb forms?
Examples of such languages are welcome!
- 29.8k
2
votes
1
answer
335
views
Inherent inflection vs. Contextual inflection
dear community!
In morphology, there is this concept of inherent inflection vs. contextual inflection, which is mainly associated with the Dutch morphologist Geert Booij.
In the case of inherent ...
- 23
1
vote
0
answers
47
views
Are there any cases of infinitives being used as a "patient nominal"?
Usually, when infinitives are used in the nominal position, they denote a situation, but I never met any languages that use infinitives to denote participants. The only exception is German "Essen&...
- 11
4
votes
1
answer
928
views
What do "finite" and "non-finite" mean in linguistics?
What do "finite" and "non-finite" mean in linguistics? I know that they occur in other languages and in some cases not only in verbs.
- 203
1
vote
0
answers
51
views
PRO in infinitival relatives
I am interested in pairs like (1-2). Let's assume that the most embedded occurrence of PRO is controlled by John and Bill. What I'd like to know is whether the reference of the other PRO, the least ...
- 127
1
vote
0
answers
69
views
What is the history behind the use of the infinitive form with an imperative function in Germany, Dutch, and other languages
In German, Dutch, and other languages, the imperative is distinct from the infinitive:
Dutch would be doe mee! (singular), doet mee! (plural or formal, dated).
German would be mach mit (singular) or ...
- 231
0
votes
4
answers
205
views
What sort of "root" patterns do languages have that don't have infinitive verbs?
I am trying to gather the "base" form of verbs across languages. The form that is used to generate all the other various verb forms. But it seems some languages don't have infinitive forms ...
- 4,306
0
votes
1
answer
141
views
subject of a to-infinitive - is it a nominative or an accusative?
Is the subject of a to-infinitive a nominative, because it's a subject, or an accusative, because it's assigned the Case by 'for'?
The man kept the door open for the cat to enter the room.
- 271
1
vote
1
answer
211
views
Outside of English, is there a difference between noun infinitives and gerunds?
In English class in high school, we learn (or at least I did) about verbals, words that stem from verbs but do not function as verbs. Two kinds are infinitives and gerunds.
Infinitives are usually ...
- 113
1
vote
2
answers
157
views
Does this sentence violate Principle A of Binding Theory?
In the sentence
John(i) wanted to buy himself(i) a pair of shoes.
With (i) to mark co-indexation.
Is the anaphor "himself" bound in its binding domain? Or is the binder in a separate domain ...
-3
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Is to always a preposition? [closed]
[1] I am looking forward to seeing you.
[2] I want to see you.
In the sentence [1] we say that to is a preposition. followed by a gerund.
In [2] we say to is a particle ...
- 1,198
4
votes
2
answers
501
views
Infinitive Marker
In English, is the infinitive marker a part of speech? I noticed that Oxford was using it in the PoS lexical entry position for one sense of "to": https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/us/to
"...
- 664
2
votes
1
answer
245
views
Finite Nominalised Clauses
Are there any instances in any language where a finite clause can be nominalised?
Gerunds in English are non-finite CPs and deverbal nouns lack an inflectional layer altogether.
Rome wants [CP to ...
- 1,547
1
vote
0
answers
165
views
Does "to" correspond to verb inflection in X-bar theory?
In this Government & Binding Theory book I'm reading, it is assumed that "to" in to-infinitives corresponds to verb inflection, meaning that in x-bar tree "to" appears under INFL, exactly where ...
- 133
1
vote
1
answer
55
views
Infinitive clauses referring to an adjective before a noun [closed]
We know that infinitive clauses can sometimes refer to adjectives before nouns. I feel with what adjectives they can do that, but I don't have any reason for it.
Examples;
You can buy the best book ...
- 189
0
votes
3
answers
135
views
One usage of infinitive clause
My question is about the sentence
A few opportunities exist to get a better education in the U.S.(1)
Some people said: "It is a correct sentence."
However, I don't think so and will explain why.
...
- 189
4
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Are there some languages that do not have infinitives/participles/gerunds?
Are there some languages that do not take their verbs and convert them into verbals (infinitives/participles/gerunds, et al.)? I noticed the Wikipedia article on participles has a number of language ...
- 143
0
votes
0
answers
440
views
What's the infinitive stem?
What's the infinitive stem? Can you explain it giving examples please?
And is there something that called "resulting stem"?
4
votes
1
answer
123
views
How do you assign Case to sentences with an infinitval clause?
Look at this example:
For the butler to attack the robber would be surprising.
Here, the butler and the robber are assigned accusative Case. Is 'For' assigning case to the butler and 'to attack' ...
- 279
2
votes
2
answers
42
views
Looking for the name of research area *my brother helps me (to) translate*
In the sentence:
my brother helps me translate
the subject of the dependent clause surfaces as an object pronoun. In generative grammar there have been several approaches to analyzing this ...
1
vote
0
answers
421
views
Overt Subjects of Non-Finite Clauses and Accusative Case
How do overt subjects of non-finite clauses such as the gerund clause below obtain accusative case despite there being no accusative case or ECM assigner?
Me arriving late is a sure thing
I think I ...
- 1,547
1
vote
1
answer
2k
views
How are to-infinitive clauses treated in x-bar syntax trees?
For example:
The man refused to send any letters to that place.
This is what I have so far from the Syntax Tree Generator.
What should replace the X there?
- 21
3
votes
1
answer
73
views
Can “to” ever be a Prep or a Particle before “be”
Can “to” ever be a Prep or a Particle before “be”? If so can anyone think of an example?
- 31
1
vote
1
answer
115
views
How is the 'to' in English infinitive forms called formally?
If I have a construction using an infinitive form such as in:
"I want to go" or "What is to be thought of that?"
What is the formal name for the part of speech that 'to' represents? 'To' is part of ...
- 183
6
votes
2
answers
12k
views
Infinitive verbs in syntax tree
I am just a little curious about the construction of syntactic trees when they involve infinitives in English. Basically, I want to know what role does the the "to" play? I don't think it is like a ...
- 61
2
votes
2
answers
7k
views
How do I deal with an infinitive verb in a syntax tree?
The sentence in question is "Chomsky innocently asked Baker to comment on the changes to the theory during the lecture." I'm unsure of how to handle the "to" in "to comment." I asked my TA and she ...
- 29
3
votes
3
answers
435
views
Why are infinitive complements analysed as separate clauses?
Why is the sentence
John wants to read.
normally analysed as consisting of 2 clauses? (John wants, PRO to read)
I understand the idea of PRO but why must to read be a completely different clause?
...
- 171
1
vote
0
answers
202
views
Did German or English form of infinitive appear first?
German and English languages have a common root but an innumerable amount of differences. One of them is how infinitive is formed. In English we have to+verb: "to stand" in German we have a verb ...
- 331
0
votes
1
answer
194
views
Criteria to distinguish finite from nonfinite complement clauses?
What are the differences between finite and nonfinite complement clause? Typologically speaking, what are the criteria I could use to distinguish one from the other two?
While I am not really asking ...
- 2,701
6
votes
2
answers
3k
views
need to understand infinitive
What is the easiest way to understand what an infinitive is?
How do I know which verb in which sentence is an infinitive?
For example, let us take this website:
Infinitive
This is the example I am ...
- 213
5
votes
2
answers
435
views
infinitive passive in Esperanto
Beside fari (to do), grammars like this one give six other forms of the infinitive in Esperanto:
simple / progressive / perfect / prospective
(active) fari esti faranta / esti ...
- 1,997
7
votes
3
answers
756
views
Why the infinitive in Portuguese "Cartago tem que ser destruída"?
Cartago tem que ser destruída.
"Carthage must be destroyed." I'm wondering about the infinitive (ser): where does it come from? In what situations is the infinitive used after que: only with ter + ...
- 7,956