Complementizers and Embedded Clauses in English: The Data

Verbs selecting sentential complements (or subjects) place restrictions on their complements, in particular, on the form of the embedded verb phrase.^8.4 Furthermore, complementizers are constrained to appear with certain types of clauses, again, based primarily on the form of the embedded VP. For example, hope selects both indicative and infinitival complements. With an indicative complement, it may only have that or null as possible complementizers; with an infinitival complement, it may only have a null complementizer. Verbs that allow wh+ complementizers, such as ask, can take whether and if as complementizers. The possible combinations of complementizers and clause types is summarized in Table 8.1. As can be seen in Table 8.1, sentential subjects differ from sentential complements in requiring the complementizer that for all indicative and subjunctive clauses. In sentential complements, that often varies freely with a null complementizer, as illustrated in ((14))-((19)).

(13)0(13

(14)

Christy hopes that Mike wins.  (14)0(14

(15)

Christy hopes Mike wins.  (15)0(15

(16)

Dania thinks that Newt is a liar.  (16)0(16

(17)

Dania thinks Newt is a liar.  (17)0(17

(18)

That Helms won so easily annoyed me.  (18)0(18

(19)

$\ast$Helms won so easily annoyed me. 

 

Table 8.1: Summary of Complementizer and Clause Combinations

Complementizer:		that	whether	if	for	null
Clause type
indicative	subject	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
	complement	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
infinitive	subject	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
	complement	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
subjunctive	subject	Yes	No	No	No	No
	complement	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
gerundive8.3	complement	No	No	No	No	Yes
base	complement	No	No	No	No	Yes
small clause	complement	No	No	No	No	Yes

 

Another fact which must be accounted for in the analysis is that in infinitival clauses, the complementizer for must appear with an overt subject NP, whereas a complementizer-less infinitival clause never has an overt subject, as shown in ((20))-((23)). (See section 8.5 for more discussion of the case assignment issues relating to this construction.)

(19)0(19

(20)

To lose would be awful.  (20)0(20

(21)

For Penn to lose would be awful.  (21)0(21

(22)

$\ast$For to lose would be awful.  (22)0(22

(23)

$\ast$Penn to lose would be awful. 

In addition, some verbs select <wh>=+ complements (either questions or clauses with whether or if) [#!grimshaw90!#]:

(23)0(23

(24)

Jesse wondered who left.  (24)0(24

(25)

Jesse wondered if Barry left.  (25)0(25

(26)

Jesse wondered whether to leave.  (26)0(26

(27)

Jesse wondered whether Barry left.  (27)0(27

(28)

$\ast$Jesse thought who left.  (28)0(28

(29)

$\ast$Jesse thought if Barry left.  (29)0(29

(30)

$\ast$Jesse thought whether to leave.  (30)0(30

(31)

$\ast$Jesse thought whether Barry left.