English Nonfinite Verbal Forms vs Romanian Nonfinite Verbal Forms

English Nonfinite Verbal Forms vs Romanian

Nonfinite Verbal Forms

We have already mentioned that contemporary English grammar has three non-finite forms :

1. The Infinitive

2. The –ING Form represented by :

a. The Indefinite Participle

b. The Perfect Participle

c. The Indefinite Gerund

d. The Perfect Gerund

3. The Past Participle

In Romanian, the non-finite forms of the verb are represented by four moods :

1. Infinitivul (“modul care denumeste actiunea exprimata de verb, adica este numele unei actiuni dupa cum substantivul este numele unui obiect”)

Participiul (“modul care, sub forma de adjectiv, denumeste actiunea suferita de un obiect)

3. Gerunziul (“forma verbului care exprima actiunea in desfasurare fara referire la persoana sau la moment”)

4. Supinul (“care denumeste actiunea verbala, comportandu-se ca un infinitive lung, deci ca un substantiv verbal, dar si ca un verb”)

A. The Infinitive

In a number of cases their functions do not correspond those of the English non-finite forms. The material so far given in conjunction with the English infinitives and their Romanian equivalents admits of a broad generalization, namely that the infinitive is far more frequently used in English than in Romanian. It differs from Romanian infinitive :

1) in most of its syntactic functions

2) in its being used in specifically English constructions

- the accusative with the infinitive

- the nominative with the infinitive

- the for-to infinitive

- the absolute infinitive

The equivalent Romanian forms vary, but most of them are represented by conjunctives, by direct object clauses, and by supine forms.[1]

Mention has already been made that certain English verbs have no infinitive form in English (shall, will, may, ought to), so that the respective Romanian infinitives (a trebui, a voi, a putea, a se cuveni) are translated by other words and word-combinations, such as to have to, to be obliged to, to want ; although the use of these infinitives is not very frequent.

From a grammatical point of view , the translation of shall, will by Romanian infinitives (a trebui, a putea) is wrong, it is only accepted as a lexicographical convention. All the other English verbs have infinitives and are used in the language. They occur in two forms :

a. either as long infinitives, forms preceded by the particle to

I want to buy furniture.

(Vreau sa cumpar mobile)

b. or as short infinitives, forms which are not preceded by the particle to

I saw him run.

(L-am vazut alergand)

The dictionary form of a verb is the infinitive. The ending indicates the conjugation of the verb in Romanian. There are four conjugations in Romanian. The final vowel or vowels of the infinitive indicates the conjugation of the verb :

First conjugation – verbs ending in –a

a canta – to sing

Second conjugation – verbs ending in –ea

a vedea – to see

Third conjugation – verbs ending in –e

a merge – to walk

Fourth conjugation – verbs ending in –i

a fugi – to run

The most common form of infinitive, the so-called “short infinitive” is preceded by the preposition a in a dictionary or in a context in which the infinitival functions independently :

a canta – to sing , to play an instrument

There is also a form called “long infinitival” or verbal noun, that ends in –are, -ere, -ire, -are and is used as a noun in Romanian :

cantare – singing

vedere – vision

pierdere – loss

iubire – love

hotarare – decision

The infinitive has a past tense, formed with the present infinitive of the verb a fi plus the past participle of the actual verb.

a canta – a fi cantat

In English the past tense of the infinitive is formed with the help of “to have” plus the past participle of the verb to be conjugated.

to do – to have done

The past infinitive is rarely used in contemporary Romanian. The negative form of the infinitive is formed in Romanian with the negative nu inserted after the preposition a :

a nu canta – not to sing

a nu vedea – not to see

Whereas in English the negative form of the infinitive “not” is placed in front of the infinitival particle “to”. The stem of the (the short infinitive without final vowels –a, -ea,-e, i) is the basic form used to form tenses of various moods :

future indicative (voi canta)

present conditional (as canta)

present presumptive (oi canta)

In Romanian , infinitive with a, both present and past , can be used as a subject in the sentence :

A citi este marea ei bucurie.

Reading is her biggest joy.

A fi vorbit cu el ar fi fost o mare onoare.

Talking to him would have been a great honour.

It can also be used with different prepositions with attributive and circumstancial values :

Placerea de a vorbi cu ea e uriasa.

The pleasure of talking to her is huge.(attributive)

Placerea de a fi vorbit cu tine a fost uriasa.

The pleasure of having talked to you is huge.(attributive)

De ce vorbesti inainte de a gandi ?

Why are you talking before thinking ?

The present infinitive reflexive passive with a is used in instructions, requirements and interdictions :

A se pastra la rece.

Store in a cold place.

It is to be noted that in English the same structure is to be used in the imperative mood to get the same effect. The present infinitive without a is used in different verbal constructions :

after the verb a putea (can, may, be able) and a sti (to know) instead of the subjunctive

Pot vorbi romaneste.

I can speak Romanian.

with the verb a avea (to have) followed by interrogative pronoun or adverb, with or without preposition (ce (what), cine(who), unde(where), cum(how)) , in structures showing possession.

Ai cu ce scrie?

Do you have a pen to write with?

A characteristic feature of the non-finite forms of the English verb verb is their homonymy , one and the same verbal form being capable to discharge several functions which are brought out in a context (thus , reading may be an indefinite participle or an indefinite gerund). This feature does not exist in Romanian , the participle and the gerund having different forms.

2. The Participle

Indefinite participle and the perfect participle do not exist in Romanian, but the past participle is to be found undsr four forms both masculine and feminin as well as singular and plural, whereas in English there is only only one form for the above mentioned.

Sg. m. facut

fem. facuta

done

Pl. m. facuti

fem. facute

The past participle can also be used as an adjective , in which capacity as a four forms adjectives, and takes the gender , number and case of the modifying noun :

El este un pianist apreciat.

He is a valued pianist. (masc)

Fiica lui este o pianista apreciata.

His daughter is a valued pianist. (fem)

In English, the participle is strictly verbal form ,hence its determinatives must be verbal.

He is reading.

As it has already been mentioned, Leon Levitchi made some remarks concerning the adjectival and function of past participle , and this problem is shown in the context which is the decisive element. Thus :

written is a past participle in “Mr. Smith has written an essay”

and an adjective in “Shall we hand in a written composition?”

3. The Gerund

In English , the gerund is formed from the short infinitive by adding the suffix “-ing” and it has the same form like the participle. The characteristic feature of the gerund is its double function , nominal and verbal.

to write – writing

The gerund is formed , in Romanian , from the stem of the infinitive , with the suffixes –and or –ind.

- AND

verbs ending in –a : a lucra – lucrand – working

verbs ending in –ea : a vedea – vazand – seeing

verbs ending in –e : a merge – mergand – walking

verbs ending in –i : a hotari – hotarand – deciding

verbs ending in –i : a iubi – iubiind – loving

-IND

- verbs ending in –I : a lovi – lovind – hitting

- verbs ending in –ia : a copia – copiind – copying

- verbs ending in –ie : a scrie – scriind – writing

- verbs ending in –a, -e , -ea and –i form the gerund with the suffix –and

- verbs ending in – chea (a ingenunghea – to kneel), -ghea (a supraveghea),

-ia (a mangaia – to caress) also form the gerund with the suffix –ind.

As it can be seen, the gerund in Romanian is more complex than in English , due to his way of forming. Much attention has to be given to spelling, to the four conjugations.

Use

Mention has already been made about the use of the gerund and its functions. In Romanian, the gerund is, as a rule, used as a supplemental predicative element or as a complement of circumstance indicating manner, time, place. It corresponds in general to the present participle or the gerund in English.

I found him working.

L-am gasit lucrand.

He is explaining the gerund writing everything on the blackboard.

Ne explica gerunziul scriind totul pe tabla.

The gerund can be used as an attribute and it can agree to the noun :

He offered me a shaking hand.

Mi-a intins o mana tremuranda.

The gerund is used after verbs of perception :

I saw her passing by.

Am vazut-o trecand pe langa mine.

In Romanian the gerund is never preceded by a preposition. The subjects of the main verb and of the gerund are, in general, the same, but the two verbs can also have different subjects.

Leaving the building I realized I had forgotten my students’ papers in my office. (the same subjects)

Iesind din cladire mi-am dat seama ca am uitat lucrarile studentilor in birou.

I saw you leaving the building.(different subjects)

Te-am vazut iesind din cladire.

4. The Supine

The supine is a verbal form which does not exist in English. The supine is identical in form to the past participle, but is always preceded by a preposition.

done – de facut

The supine names the verbal action, acting as a noun, but without losing its verbal semantic features. If the past participle can function and is perceived as an adjective, the supine is perceived as a noun. Its English equivalent is the infinitive or –ing form.

It is hard to believe she speaks Chinese.

E greu de crezut ca ea vorbeste chineza.

I started cleaning the house.

M-am apucat de facut curatenie in casa.

The supine is mostly used with the preposition de , after the verbs a fi and a avea , to indicate an obligation or an anticipated action.

I have to work a lot.

Am de lucrat mult.

There is a prize to be won here.

Aici e de castigat un premiu.

The supine is also used in other structures and with other prepositions :

verb (a termina – to finish doing something , a se apuca de – to start doing

something)

He started working.

S-a apucat de lucrat.

- adjective or adverb + supine

The meat is good to eat.

Carnea e buna de mancat.

supine with a repeated or implied verb

I do not understand Romanian, dar de vorbit, nu.

De inteles, inteleg romaneste, but I can’t speak.

noun + supine indicating the purpose of the noun

aparat de fotografiat – camera

masine se scris – typewriter

noun + supine in the negative wiyh modal meaning

o vacanta de neuitat – an unforgettable holiday