Abstract
This paper looks at Adverb Climbing (AC), a syntactic configuration in which an adverb preceding a verb with an infinitival complement modifies the non-finite complement verb rather than the matrix verb. (1) Alastair intentionally seems to have insulted Flora. ‘Alastair seems to have intentionally insulted Flora.’
I will argue that the availability of AC with Raising verbs in English (e.g. seem) indicates that they take non-finite complements which lack a CP projection. In contrast, the non-finite complements of Control verbs (e.g. try) are full CPs. I will also argue that AC for a limited set of T-modifying adverbs is possible with
English Control verbs that select for ‘temporally independent’ infinitives (e.g. want) because these verbs have T-to-C movement within their non-finite complement clauses.
I will argue that the availability of AC with Raising verbs in English (e.g. seem) indicates that they take non-finite complements which lack a CP projection. In contrast, the non-finite complements of Control verbs (e.g. try) are full CPs. I will also argue that AC for a limited set of T-modifying adverbs is possible with
English Control verbs that select for ‘temporally independent’ infinitives (e.g. want) because these verbs have T-to-C movement within their non-finite complement clauses.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 123-135 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | McGill Working Papers in Linguistics |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
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Elspeth Edelstein
- School of Language, Literature, Music & Visual Culture, Linguistics - Senior Lecturer
Person: Academic