Aspects of the Grammar of Infinitives and For-Phrases
, R. Faraci 1974
This thesis surveys a number of topics related to the grammar of infinitival for-phrases. We begin by noting syntactic and semantic distinctions among three types of infinitive complements, which are called purpose clauses, objective clauses, and rationale clauses. It is shown that these complements must be analyzed as for-phrases with sentential objects.
Next, semantic relations between NP’s and for-phrases are discussed, and the relevance of these relations to the analysis of control phenomena in the three clause types is considered. It is demonstrated that “object deletion” in infinitival for-phrases is subject to conditions on the semantic relations obtaining between the controller NP and the for-phrase.
Basic semantic differences between gerundives, for-phrases and infinitival for-phrases are characterized. Both are descriptive motivations for the action depicted in the matrix clause. However, gerundive for-phrases characterize motivatin factors which are semantically prior to the action depicted in the matrix clause, while infinitival for-phrases describe intentions which are semantically posterior to the action characterized by the matrix clause. In addition, complement subject control in gerundive for-phrases is examined.
“Object deletion” in purpose clauses is considered with respect to the sentential nature of this type of complement. It is shown that if we analyze the object of for in this case as a reduced sentence, “object deletion” in purpose clauses ddoes not violate certain plausible conditions on rules. Following a discussion of tough-predicates, the hypothesis is considered that the complements to the degree modifiers too and enough are for-phrases with reduced sentential objects.
Thesis Supervisor: Morris Halle
Title: Professor of Modern Languages
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Table of Contents
Chapter I A Typology of Some Infinitve Phrases 7
1 The distinction between infinitival relative clauses and infinitival
purpose clauses 7
2 Purpose clauses, rationale clauses, and objective clauses 26
3 Relevant aspects of phrase structure 31
Footnotes to Chapter I 43
Chapter II Semantic Relations and Control 48
1 Parallels with for-phrases 48
2 On semantic relations between NPs and for-phrases 66
3 On control in infinitive for-phrases 72
4 Chapter summary 91
Appendix A A different kind of NP-for-phrase relation 92
Appendix B Remarks on equi in purpose clauses 99
Footnotes to Chapter II and appendices 106
Chapter III A Digression on Gerundive For-phrases 123
1 The prior-posterior distinction 123
2 Observations on control in higher-generated for-phrases 146
Footnotes to Chapter III 158
Chapter IV Remarks on Object-Deletion 170
1 “Object deletion” and the internal structure of purpose clauses 170
2 Remarks on tough-class predicates 175
3 Too and enough constructions 187
Footnotes to Chapter IV 206