Реферат
Verbals: the infinitive
| Выполнил студент группы ИИЯ-АБ-212, Хмызов М.В. |
г. Волгоград
The infinitive developed from the verbal noun, which in course of time became verbalized, retaining at the same time some its nominal properties. Thus in Modern English the infinitive, like participle and the gerund, has a double nature, nominal and verbal.
1. The nominal character of the infinitive is manifested in its syntactic functions. The infinitive can be used:
(a) as the subject of a sentence.
To go on like this was dangerous. (Galsworthy)
(b) as a predicative.
Her plan was now to drive to Bath during the night. (Hardy)
(c) as an object.
I have never learnt to read or write. (Collins)
2. The verbal characteristics of the infinitive are as follows:
(a) the infinitive of transitive verbs can take a direct object.
He... began to feel some curiosity... (Eliot)
(b) the infinitive can be modified by an adverb.
I cannot write so quickly.
(c) the infinitive has tense and aspect distinctions; the infinitive of transitive verbs has also voice distinctions. [1]
| Active | Passive | |
| Indefinite Continuous Perfect Perfect Continuous | To write To be writing To have written To have been writing | To be written - To have been written - |
The tense and aspect distinctions of the infinitive.
Like the tense distinctions of all verbals those of the infinitive are not absolute but relative.
1. The Indefinite Infinitive expresses an action simultaneous with the action expressed by the finite verb, so it may refer to the present, past or future.
I am glad to meet you. (Dreiser)
I was glad to see Mr. Paul. (Ch. Bronte)
Mr. Forsyte will be very glad to see you. (Galsworthy)
2. The Continuous Infinitive also denotes an action simultaneous with that expressed by the finite verb, but it is an action in progress. Thus the continuous infinitive is not only a tense form, but also an aspect form, expressing both time relations and the manner in which' the action is presented.
They happened, at the moment, to be standing near a small conservatory at the end of the garden. (Collins)
3. The Perfect Infinitive denotes an action prior to the action expressed by the finite verb.
“I’m glad to have seen you,” he said. (Dreiser)
An intimate friend is said to have dined with him that day. (Hardy)
After such verbs as to mean, to expect, to intend, to hope used the Past Indefinite, the Perfect Infinitive shows that the hope intention was not carried out.
I meant to have gone there.
I meant to have given you five shillings this morning for a Christmas-box, Sam. I’ll give it you this afternoon, Sam. (Dickens)
The same meaning can be conveyed by the Past Perfect of the finite verb followed by the Indefinite Infinitive.
I had meant to go there.
He had meant to marry me. (Eliot)
Some English grammarians prefer the latter construction.
4. The Perfect Continuous Infinitive denotes an action which lasted a certain time before the action of the finite verb. It is not only a tense form, but also an aspect form.
For about ten days we seemed to have been living on nothing, but cold meat, cake and bread and jam. (Jerome)
The voice distinctions of the infinitive.
The infinitive of transitive verbs has special forms for the Active and the Passive Voice:
It is so glorious to love and to be loved... (Stone)
In sentences with the construction there is the infinitive of some verbs can be active or passive without any change in the meaning:
There’s no time to lose. (Dreiser)
There is no time to be lost. (Eliot)
There is nothing to fear (to be feared).
Infinitive constructions.
in Modern English we find the following predicative constructions with the infinitive:
1) the Complex Object Construction;
2) the Complex Subject Construction;
3) the for-to-Infinitive Construction.
The Complex Object Construction.
The Objective with the Infinitive is a construction in which the infinitive is in predicate relation to a noun in the common case or pronoun in the objective case. In the sentence this construction has the function of a complex object.
He’s a wonderful teacher and I’ve never seen him lose his temper or get angry about anything. (Wilson)
However, sometimes a sentence containing the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is rendered by a simple sentence. [2]
... the bombings at night made the old walls shake to their foundations. (Heytn)
The use of the Complex Object construction
1. The Complex Object Construction (The Objective with the infinitive Construction) is used after verbs denoting sense perception, such as to hear, to see, to watch, to feel, to observe, to notice, etc.
I haven’t heard anyone call me. (Wilde)
After verbs of sense perception only the Indefinite Infinitive Active is used. If the meaning is passive we use Participle II.
I saw the fire slowly conquered. (Collins)
If a process is expressed Participle I Indefinite Active is used.
He saw Fleur comings. (Galsworthy)
2. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs denoting mental activity, such as to know, to think, to consider, to believe, to suppose, to expect, to imagine, to find, to feel, to trust, etc.
After verbs of mental activity in the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction the verb to be is generally used. (This restriction does not apply to the verb to expect). The use oi this construction after most verbs of mental activity is more characteristic of literary than of colloquial style.
I know you to be the most honest, spotless creature that ever lived. (Hardy)
3. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs of declaring: to pronounce, to declare, to report.
The surgeon pronounced the wound to be a slight one.
4. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs denoting wish and intention: to want, to wish, to desire, to mean, to intend, to choose (in the meaning of “to want”).
I want you to come and dine with me. (Dickens)
5. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs and expressions denoting feeling and emotion; to like, to dislike, to love, to hate, cannot bear, etc.
I cannot bear you to speak of that. (Eliot)
6. The Complex Object Construction is used after verbs denoting order and permission: to order, to allow, to suffer, to have, etc.
Here we find the Objective with the Infinitive only if the object is expressed by a noun or pronoun denoting a lifeless thing or when the infinitive is passive. This restriction does not apply to the verbs to suffer and to have.
Mr. Merdle ordered his carriage to be ready early in the morning. (Dickens)
From these examples we see that the verb to suffer, when followed by the Objective with the Infinitive, is rendered in affirmative sentences by неохотно разрешить, позволить. In negative sentences it is rendered by “допускать”. The verb to have denotes permission only in negative sentences; it is very close in meaning to the verb to suffer and is translated in the same way.
7. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs denoting compulsion: to make (in the meaning of “заставить”). to cause (in the meaning of ‘заставить’, ‘распорядиться’), to get (in the meaning of ‘добиться’), to have (in the meaning of 'заставить; сказать чтобы’).
Light steps in the gravel made him turn his head. (London)
8. Though the infinitive as a rule is not used with verbs requiring prepositions, the Objective with the Infinitive is widely used with the preposition “for”. Occasionally it occurs with the preposition on or upon (after the verb to rely). [3]
I rely on you to come in time.