BTAN11006BA/BTAN1104OMA

The structure of English: The noun phrase and the verb phrase

24/10/2017

Lecture 7

Infinitives, gerunds, participles

Structure of the lecture

1. An overview of the issues to be addressed

2. Verbal or non-verbal? Categorial problems

3. Clausal or non-clausal? Identifying subjects

An overview

(1) I helped her do the washing up.

(2) I wanted her to do the washing up.

(3) I found her doing the washing up.

(4) I like her doing the washing up.

An overview

Two fundamental questions in the grammar of non-finite verbal forms:

(i) To what extent are these verbal?

What other categorial properties do they show?

(ii) To what extent do these verbal forms project a clause structure?

Categorial problems

(i) Gerunds vs present participles

(ii) The conversion of present and past participles

Categorial problems

(5) I remember meeting them.

(6) Meeting them was fun.

(7) I'm thinking of meeting them.

(8) I found meeting them boring.

(9) I am meeting them tomorrow.

(10) You won't see me meeting them.

(11) Not having met for a year,I'm glad to see you now.

(12) Anyone meeting them is in danger.

Categorial problems

A list of differences (based on Bresnan 2000)

(13) Susan discussed visiting Fred.

(14) Susan kept visiting Fred.

Categorial problems

Passivization

(15) Visiting Fred was discussed by Susan.

(16) *Visiting Fred was kept by Susan.

Categorial problems

Clefting

(17) John kept a dog at home.

(18) It was a dog that John kept at home.

(19) It was visiting Fred that Susan discussed.

(20) *It was visiting Fred that Susan kept.

Categorial problems

Topicalization (and pronominalization)

(21) John kept a dog at home.

(22) John likes cats but a dog he wouldn't want to keep.

(23) Visiting Fred, Susan doesn't want to discuss (it).

(24) *Visiting Fred, Susan doesn't want to keep (it).

Categorial problems

Genitive subjects

(25) Susan discussed our visiting Fred.

(26) *Susan kept our visiting Fred.

Categorial problems

The conversion of participles

Participles often seem to have adjectival properties:

(27) They are entertaining John.

(28) They have frightened John.

(29) This is entertaining.

(30) John is frightened.

(31) Ved/Ving → Adj

Categorial problems

Lexicalizations: changes in meaning

(32) This book is interesting.

(33) The picture was distorted.

(34) They are really entertaining.

(35) The door was broken.

(36) The museum was closed at six.

Categorial problems

Lexicalizations: changes in form

(37) All the wine was drunk.

(38) All the people were drunken.

(39) He has learnt/learned the truth.

(40) He was a serious scholar, a genuinely learned man.

Categorial problems

Adjectival morphology

(41) Peter unzipped his jacket.

(42) Peter was unhappy.

(42) The sacred jacket was unzipped by human hands.

(43) The sacred jacket was untouched by human hands.

Categorial problems

Adjectival distribution

(44) Kate was very happy.

(45) *Kate was very washed.

(46) Kate was very frightened.

(47) Kate seemed happy.

(48) *Kate seemed washing.

(49) Kate seemed frightening.

Categorial problems

An outlook: bicategoriality is not simultaneous

(50) Kate was very entertaining.

(51) Kate was entertaining her husband.

(52) *Kate was very entertaining her husband.

(53) Kate's clownish non-singing of the national anthem.

(54) Kate's clownishly not singing the national anthem.

(55) *Kate's clownishly non-singing the national anthem.

Identifying subjects

When non-finite forms are verbal in nature, they function as (reduced) clauses.

As such, they have their own subject:

(56) I told John to go home.

(57) I told John that he should go home.

We briefly overview here the main strategies that are

used to introduce or identify these non-finite subjects.

Identifying subjects

Overt non-finite subjects

(58) I consider this to be the best solution.

(59) We should let the situation unfold.

(60) I like them being here.

(61) I found John sleeping.

(62) I like their being here.

Identifying subjects

Overt non-finite subjects

(63) I am waiting for John to arrive.

(64) It is unpleasant for me to be here.

(65) It is unpleasant for me for you to be here.

Identifying subjects

Controlling covert non-finite subjects

(66) I hope to see you soon.

(67) I taught them to read.

(68) Being unfamiliar with these kinds of people,

a. John really frightened Kate.

b. John really avoided Kate.

Identifying subjects

Controlling covert non-finite subjects

(69) I came here to surround the house.

(70) I wanted to surround the house.

(71) #I tried to surround the house.

(72) Surrounding the house is good.

(73) It is forbidden to surround the house.