Non-finite complementation : a usage-based study of infinitive and -ing clauses in English / Thomas Egan.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Egan, Thomas.

Series:

Language and Computers 65.

Language and computers ; no. 65

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Grammar, Comparative and general--Infinitival constructions.

Grammar, Comparative and general.

Grammar, Comparative and general--Complement.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (445 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Amsterdam ; New York, NY : Rodopi, 2008.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This book presents a comprehensive guide to the way speakers of British English use infinitive and – ing clauses as verbal complements. It contains details of the non-finite complementation patterns of over 300 matrix verbs, with a particular emphasis on verbs that occur with more than one type of non-finite complement. Drawing upon data from the British National Corpus, the author shows that some of the views which are to be found in the existing literature on these sorts of clauses are in conflict with the evidence of actual usage. He also shows that there is actually much more regularity in this area than has often been taken to be the case. Moreover, this regularity is shown to be motivated by cognitive-functional factors. An appendix contains details of the relative frequency of all of the constructions dealt with in the study, together with an example of each of them. The book is of interest to language teachers as well as linguists, both theoretical and applied.

Contents:

Preliminary material / Editors Non-finite Complementation

The purpose and scope of the study / Editors Non-finite Complementation

Classification of the constructions / Editors Non-finite Complementation

Earlier Studies / Editors Non-finite Complementation

Complement Types and Complementisers / Editors Non-finite Complementation

Constructions in contrast: Same-time constructions / Editors Non-finite Complementation

Constructions in contrast: Forward-looking constructions / Editors Non-finite Complementation

Constructions in contrast: Backward-looking constructions / Editors Non-finite Complementation

Summary and Conclusions / Editors Non-finite Complementation

References / Editors Non-finite Complementation

The Matrix verbs / Editors Non-finite Complementation

Tables / Editors Non-finite Complementation

List of technical terms / Editors Non-finite Complementation

Index / Editors Non-finite Complementation.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9789401205542

940120554X

9781435633254

1435633253

OCLC:

213434057

Publisher Number:

10.1163/9789401205542 DOI