The category of voice.

Syntactical and morphological characteristics of the Infinitive.

The Inf. is a non-finite form of the verb which names a process in a most general way. It has a special marker, the particle to.

The Inf. has a double nature: it combines verbal features with those of the noun. The verbal features of the Inf. are of 2 kinds: morphological & syntactical.

1.Morphological: the Inf. has the verb categories of voice (active-passive), correlation (non-perfect-perfect) & aspect (common-continuous). 2.Syntactical: the Inf. possesses the verb combinability: a) it takes an object in the same way as the corresponding finite verbs do; b) it takes a predicative if it happens to be a link verb; c) it is modified by adverbials in the same way as finite verbs.

The category of correlation.

The category of correlation finds it expression in the opposition of non-perfect & perfect forms.

The perfect Inf. always denotes an action preceding some moment of time in the present, past or future, which is marked out by the tense form of the finite verb – the predicate of the sentence:

Ex.: I’m glad/ was glad/ will be glad to have seen you again.

The non-perfect Inf. is more flexible in meaning and may easily be modified by the context. The most general meaning of the non-perfect Inf. is that of simultaneity with time of the action denoted by the finite verb (the predicate of the sentence) it may acquire the meaning either of succession or even priority.

It express succession, that is, indicates that the action follows the action denoted by the finite verb, in the following cases: 1) When it is an AM of purpose: Ex.: I came here to help you, not to quarrel with you. 2) When it is part of a compound verbal predicate: You must do it at once. 3) When it is an object of a verb of inducement: He ordered the man to come at three.

The category of Aspect.

The category of Aspect finds it expression in contrasting forms of the common aspect and the continuous aspect. The difference between the category of aspect in finite verb and the Inf. is that in the Inf. it is consistently expressed only in the active voice: to speak –to be speaking; to have spoken – to have been spoken.

The passive voice has practically no aspect oppositions.

The continuous aspect forms denote an action in progress at some moment of time in the present, past or future; the meaning of the common aspect forms is flexible & is easy modified by the context.

The continuous aspect forms are very seldom used, & cannot perform all the functions in which the common aspect forms are used. They can function only as: subject (to be staying with them was a real pleasure); object (I was glad to be waking); attribute (It’s time to be leaving); part of a compound verbal predicate (Now we must to be getting back).

The continuous aspect forms do not occur in the function of A.M.

The category of voice.

The Inf. of transitive verbs has the category of voice.

The difference between the category of voice in finite verb and the Inf. is that in the Inf. it is found only in the common aspect forms.

The active Inf. points out that the action is directed from the subject, the passive inf. indicates that the action is directed to the subject: Ex.: She was born to love. / She is born to be loved.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 849