the role of the informational accessibility of the subject in the development of adjectival...

The role of the informational accessibility of the subject in the

development of adjectival complementation from Old English

to Present-day Englishto Present-day English

An Van linden &Kristin Davidse

University of Leuven

ICHL19, August 14, Nijmegen

Introduction (1)

• Topic: complex constructions with adjectivalmatrix and complement, more specifically deontic-evaluativeadjectives and mandative complements (ex-pressing desired action) (Huddleston & Pullum 2002: 996)

(1) It is essential that money is better distributed, so that it reaches the poorest people.

Introduction (2)

• Topic: complex constructions with adjectival matrix and mandative complement

(1) It is essential that money is better distributed, so that it reaches the poorest distributed, so that it reaches the poorest people.

adjective essential

Introduction (2)



adjective essential

that-clause complement

(versus to-infinitive)

Introduction (2)



adjective essential

that-clause complement

(versus to-infinitive)

in extraposition construction with

anticipatory it in matrix

Introduction (3)

• Diachronic shift in formal coding of the mandative complement:

predominance of that-clauses changes to one of to-clauses in Middle English

� Hypothesis: decrease of that-clauses (typically � Hypothesis: decrease of that-clauses (typically accomodating subjects with specific reference) led to increase of complements with subjects with general reference (cf. Los 2005: 292: “majority of instances [with evaluative predic-ates] have arbitrary PRO (in to-infinitives)”

Cf. role of information structure in variation between that- and to-clauses (Noël 2003)

Structure of the talk

1. Data and methods2. The rise of the to-infinitive3. Informational accessibility: two

parametersparameters4. Analysis of data5. Discussion of findings6. Conclusion

1. Data and methods (1)

• Corpus-based study of adjectives that express deontic meaning (weak and strong degree)

• Historical counterparts of PDE

weak appropriate, convenient, desirable, expedient, fit, fitting, good, important, profitable, proper, suitable

strong critical, crucial, essential, indispensable, necessary, needful, vital

1. Data and methods (2)

Sub-period

Time span

Corpus Number of tokens

OE 750–1150

York-Toronto-Helsinki Parsed Corpus of Old English Prose (YCOE)

1.45 mln

ME 1150– Penn-Helsinki Parsed Corpus of Middle 1.16 ME 1150–1500

Penn-Helsinki Parsed Corpus of Middle English, Second Edition (PPCME)

1.16 mln

EModE 1500–1710

Penn-Helsinki Parsed Corpus of Early Modern English (PPCEME)

1.79 mln

LModE 1710–1920

Corpus of Late Modern English texts (Extended version) (CLMETEV)

15.01 mln

PDE 1990–1995

Collins COBUILD corpus (CB)(only British subcorpora)

42.10 mln

2. The rise of the to-infinitive (1)

• Diachronic data show a major shift in the distribution of mandative that- and to-clauses in Middle English (Van linden 2009, Forthc.):

to-infinitive starts to replace that-clause


Examples: OE that-clause � ME to-infinitive

(2) He andwyrde; Nis na god þæt man nyme his bearna hlaf. and awurpe hundum; ‘He answered: “It is not good that one should take the bread of his children and throw it to the dogs”’ (YCOE 990–1010 ÆCHom II, 8 67.16)990–1010 ÆCHom II, 8 67.16)

(3) And Crist answeride and seyde ‘Hit is not good to take þe breed þat falluþ to children, and Ɨyuen hit to howndes to ete fro þese children.’ ‘And Christ answered and said: “It is not good to take the bread that belongs to children from these children and give it to dogs to eat.”’ (PPCME ?a1425 Wycl.Serm. (Add 40672) 401)

• The replacement of that-clauses has not run its full course: to-clause stabilizes at roughly a 3:1 ratio to that-clause in Modern English


� did the decreased frequency of that-clauses go together with a decreased frequency of specific subjects?

Generally assumed view:• OE: mainly that-complements; overt subjects with

- either general reference: - pronouns man, we, you- generic types, e.g. women

- or specific reference: - pronouns 1/2 and 3- full NPs, e.g. the king

3. Informational accessibility: two parameters (1)

- full NPs, e.g. the king• ModE: to-complements supersede that-complements;

inferable subjects predominantly general reference: - pron. man, one, we, etc.

(cf. Los (2005: 292): majority of instances [with evaluative adjectives] have arbitrary PRO)

- generic types� general subjects factor in rise of to-infinitive?


• Verification of this view through diachronic analysis:- subjects of that-complements

- subjects of to-complements which subsume 4 subtypes:(i) for + subject + to-infinitive, e.g.

It is not proper for children to answer!(ii) to-complement of complex transitive matrix, e.g.(ii) to-complement of complex transitive matrix, e.g.

I do not think proper to mix much with your other guardians

(iii) to-complement with Experiencer in matrix, e.g.“It is crucial to us to play in such an important competition,” he said.

(iv) to-complement of copular matrix, e.g.Nor is it, in my opinion, proper to offer the same reward indiscriminately to all that shall accept it


- Informational accessability in terms of twoparameters:

generalgeneral reference

exophoric1st/2nd person

3rd personendophoric

specific reference

referenceexophoric

• Information status of 3 types of reference (Martin 1992, Ariel 2001):

(i) general and speech participant reference:The little sins are sometimes harder to confess than the big ones--but that's why it's so important to confess them. (CLMET 3)… give me a word of explanation as to who she is, what mischief she's been up to, or what you are to do with her! If I'm to be of any further use, it would seem at least expedient to give me some hints (CLMET 3)

- typically exophoric retrieval of referents


- typically exophoric retrieval of referents- more accessible discourse referents

(ii)specific third person reference:Instead of the little passions which so frequently perplex a female reign, the steady administration of Zenobia was guided by the most judicious maxims of policy. If it was expedient to pardon, she could calm her resentment (CLMET 1)

- intrinsically endophoric (within the text) retrieval of referents - less accessible discourse referents

• General picture:

4. Analysis of data (1)

� OE � PDE: decrease that-clauses with general subjects (54>15.48%)� OE � PDE: increase to-clauses with general subjects (12>49.28%)� BUT: in ModE data: temporary reversal of trend: predominance of to-

clauses with specific subjects (LModE: 60.68%)

• Development within formal complement types:


� that-clauses: increase specific subjects (30.77>43.28%)� to-clauses: increase general subjects (54.55 > 68.71%)BUT: in ModE: to-clauses: temporary predominance specific subjects

• That-clauses:


�general subjects: overall decrease (but stabilizearound 50%)

�specific subjects: from equal shares of 1/2 and 3 to predominance of 3rd person (less accessible option)


• To-clauses:

� overall increase in general subjects, but in E/LModE temporary reversal: strong predominance (65/76%) of specific subjects

� within specific subjects: predominance of 1/2 over 3, but effect tapers off (in LModE even equi-probable choices)

5. Discussion of findings (1)

• overall general expectations confirmed:

(i) to-complements increasingly attract subjects with general reference (cf. Los 2005)

(ii) convergence of factors promoting rise of to-infinitivecoding mandative complements of adjectival matrices coding mandative complements of adjectival matrices (cf. Van linden forthc.)- analogy with rise of to-infinitive coding mandative complements of verbal matrices (Los 2005)- informational factor of accessible (‘exophoric’) subjects, which, however, can be argued to include both general and specific 1/2 subjects (note: specific 3rd p. subjects relatively more common in that-complements)


• but remarkable reversal general trend in ModE: to-complements: specific subjects predominate (65/76%) with 1/2 vs 3 equi-probable options in LModE (38/38%)

�seems to have been promoted by 3 cxns attracting specific subjects and in LModE favouring 3rd p subjects

(i) complex transitive cxns (OE: 7.7%; ME: 0%; EModE: 46.2%; (i) complex transitive cxns (OE: 7.7%; ME: 0%; EModE: 46.2%; LModE: 38.7%; PDE: 7.6%)

� 89% spec / 61% 3rd p subj. in LModE(ii) for-NP-to-inf cxns (OE: 0%; ME: 5%; EModE: 17.1%; LModE: 10.3%; PDE: 15.1%)

� 79% spec / 45% 3rd p subjects in LModE(iii) Experiencer in matrix cxns (OE: 53.9%; ME: 23.3%; EModE: 6.0%; LModE: 0.9%; PDE: 0.6%)

� 71% spec / 43% 3rd p. subjects in LModE


• these 3 special cxns attracted a majority of specific subjects

� influence on to-complements of ordinary copular matrices which also came to be used more with specific subjects in ModE matrices which also came to be used more with specific subjects in ModE BUT this effect is

(i) like the complextransitive cxn itself, a boom-and-bust phenomenon of ModE

(ii) probably distorted by register bias of ModE-data (mainly literary data with typical stylistic fashions)

6. Conclusion (1)

60

70

80

90

100

excl to

endoph to

exoph to

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

EOE

EOE

LOE

LOEEM

EEM

ELM

ELM

EEM

odE

EMod

ELM

odE

LMod

E

PDE

PDE

exoph to

excl that

endoph that

exoph that

to

that

6. Conclusion (2)

• diachronic data-analysis confirms initially predicted correlations:- increase in to-complements goes together with increase of informationally accessible subjects, i.e. mainly of general but also 1/2 p. subjects

� latter contributing factor to former, besides analogy with rise in verbal mandative to-complements

� extraposition construction with deontic-evaluative adjectives favoured to-complements, amongst others, because economic way of proposing desired action for general and speech participant referents

6. Conclusion (3)

• however, development OE > PDE is quantitatively not spectacular

• may be due to temporary reversal of general trends• in writing in (L)ModE: stylistic and ‘systemic’

constructional factors (paradigmatic interplay between constructional factors (paradigmatic interplay between related constructions) favoured temporary attraction of 3rd p. subjects to to-complements (clearly register and style factors involved in this development)

• after this detour, developments in PDE reconnect with the tendencies observable in OE and ME

6. Conclusion (4)

• theoretical and methodological challenges emanating from this case study:

• further study of interaction between constructional and informational factors in language change

• theory formation needed about short-lived changes• theory formation needed about short-lived changes• how to conceptualize of such temporary reversals of

trends and relate them to general trends?• more theoretical reflection needed on changes

associated with writing (role of fashionable stylistic phrasing, etc.); currently, writing as locus of change underrated and understudied

• more theoretical and practical work needed on register consistency of diachronic corpora (cf. Davies’s COHA)

References• Ariel, Mira. 2001. Accessibility theory: an overview. In Ted Sanders

et al. (eds), Text Representation: Linguistic and Psycholinguistic aspects. Amsterdam: Benjamins.

• Los, Bettelou. 2005. The rise of the to-infinitive. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

• Huddleston, Rodney & Geoffrey Pullum. 2002. The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge: CUP.

• Martin, J. R. 1992. English Text. System and Structure. Amsterdam: Benjamins.

• Noël, Dirk. 2003. Is there semantics in all syntax? The case of• Noël, Dirk. 2003. Is there semantics in all syntax? The case ofaccusative and infinitive constructions vs. that-clauses. In GünterRohdenburg and Britta Mondorf (eds.), Determinants of grammaticalvariation in English. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. 347–377.

• Van linden, An. 2009. Dynamic, deontic and evaluative adjectivesand their clausal complement patterns: A synchronic-diachronicaccount. PhD diss., Department of Linguistics, University of Leuven.

• Van linden, An. Forthcoming. The rise of the to-infinitive: Evidencefrom adjectival complementation. English Language and Linguistics.

• Van linden, An & Kristin Davidse. 2009. The clausalcomplementation of deontic-evaluative adjectives in extrapositionconstructions: a synchronic-diachronic approach. Folia Linguistica43: 171-211.

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