Lecture 10.

Non-Finite Verbs.

1. Non-Finites: General Characteristic.

Every verb stem (except a few defective verbs) takes both finite and non-finite forms: the syntactical function of the finite forms is that of the finite predicate; the non-finite forms serve various syntactic functions other than that of the finite predicate.

Non-Finites are the forms of the verb occupying intermediary lexico-grammatical position between the verb and the non-processual parts of speech. The mixed features of these forms are revealed in the spheres of the part-of-speech characterisation (their meaning, structural marking, combinability, and syntactic functions).

Their fundamental grammatical meaning is processual and their essential syntactic functions reveal verbality (ability of verbids to take adjuncts expressing the recipients, attendants, and addressees of the process).The processual (verbal) meaning is expressed by them in a substantive or adjectival-adverbial way. Non-finites are characterised by the following features:

1. they are formed by special morphemic elements which do not express either grammatical time or mood.

2. they can be combined with verbs like non-processual lexemes

3. they can be combined with non-processual lexemes like verbs .

4. they have no immediate means of expressing time-mood categorial semantics.

5. they express the so-called ‘secondary’ or ‘potential’ predication, forming syntactic complexes directly related to certain types of subordinate clauses (possess the function of semi-predication):

Have you ever had anything caught in your head? = Have you ever had anything that was caught in your head?

He said it half under his breath for the others not to hear it. = He said it half under his breath, so that the others couldn't hear it.

Four forms of the English non-finites:

1. the infinitive,

2. the gerund,

3. the present participle,

4. the past participle.

1.2. The Infinitive.

The infinitive is the non-finite form of the verb which combines the properties of the verb with those of the noun. It serves as the verbal name of a process.

There are distinguished the 1) verb-type and 2) noun-type connections of the infinitive which reflect its dual semantic nature.

1) The verb-type combinability of the infinitive is displayed in its combining with

1. nouns expressing the object of the action;

2. nouns expressing the subject of the action;

3. modifying adverbs;

4. predicator verbs of semi-functional nature forming a verbal predicate;

5. auxiliary finite verbs (word-morphemes) in the analytical forms of the verb.

2) The noun-type combinability of the infinitive is displayed in its combining with

1. finite notional verbs as the object of the action;

2. finite notional verbs as the subject of the action.

The infinitive is the head-form of the whole paradigm of the verb (A.A. Shakhmatov called it the ‘verbal nominative’). It is used in three fundamentally different types of functions:

1. the notional, self-positional syntactic part of the sentence (this use is grammatically free);

The verbal-nominal meaning of the infinitive is expressed in full measure in its free, independent use:

Do you really mean to go away and leave me here alone? → What do you really mean?

It made her proud sometimes to toy with the idea. → What made her proud sometimes?

The self-positional infinitive can perform the functions of all types of notional sentence-parts (the subject, the object, the predicative, the attribute, the adverbial modifier):

To meet the head of the administration and not to speak to him about your predicament was unwise, to say the least of it. (Infinitive subject position)

The chief arranged to receive the foreign delegation in the afternoon. (Infinitive object position)

The parents' wish had always been to see their eldest son the continuator of their joint scientific work. (Infinitive predicative position)

Here again we are faced with a plot to overthrow the legitimately elected government of the republic. (Infinitive attributive position)

Helen was far too worried to listen to the remonstrances. (Infinitive adverbial position)

2. the notional constituent of a complex verbal predicate built up around a predicator verb (grammatically half-free);

3. the notional constituent of a finite conjugation form of the verb (grammatically bound).

The English infinitive has two presentation forms:

1) the to-infinitive/marked infinitive.

It is characteristic of the free uses of the infinitive.

2) the bare infinitive/unmarked infinitive.

It is characteristic of the bound uses of the infinitive and is understood as the zero-suffixed form.

The infinitive marker to is a word-morpheme (a special formal particle analogous to other auxiliary elements in the English grammatical structure). Its only function is to build up and identify the infinitive form as such.

The particle to can be

1) used in an isolated position to represent the whole corresponding construction zeroed in the text:

You are welcome to acquaint yourself with any of the documents if you want to.

2) separated from its notional (infinitive part by a word or a phrase, usually of adverbial nature) = split infinitive:

My task it to thoroughly investigate, to clearly define, and to consistently systematise the facts.

The use or non-use of the infinitive marker depends on the verbal environment of the infinitive (all these uses are detailed in practical grammar books).

The infinitive distinguishes the three grammatical categories sharing them with the finite verb:

1. the aspective category of development (continuous in opposition),

2. the aspective category of retrospective coordination (perfect in opposition),

3. the category of voice (passive in opposition).

The categorial paradigm of the infinitive of the objective verb includes eight forms:

the indefinite active to take

the continuous active to be taking

the perfect active to have taken

the perfect continuous active to have been taking;

the indefinite passive to be taken

the continuous passive to be being taken

the perfect passive to have been taken

the perfect continuous passive to have been being taken.

The infinitive paradigm of the non-objective verb includes four forms:

to go

to be going

to have gone

to have been going.

The continuous and perfect continuous passive can only be used occasionally, with a strong stylistic colouring. But they underlie the corresponding finite verb forms.