Special Infinitival Constructions

Special Infinitival Constructions

The following infinitival constructions of the predicative type are found in contemporary English :

a. The Accusative With the Infinitive

b. The Nominative With The Infinitive

c. The For – To – Infinitive

1 The Accusative With The Infinitive

The accusative with the infinitive represents a combination of a noun o 616e47g r pronoun in the accusative case (after a transitive verb) and an infinitive. There is no such construction in Romanian.

There are two sentences :

a) I want to switch on the light.

(Vreau sa aprind lumina)

b) I want her to switch on the light.

(Vreau ca ea sa aprinda lumina)

In a) the sentence has two verbs which have the same subject. In b) we have the same two verbs , each with its subject. Between the verb “want” and the infinitive “to switch” which follows , we have a direct object (her) of the verb , object which is at the same time the subject of the infinitive (to switch). It is not me (I) who does the action of the infinitive “to switch” , but she (her).

Other grammarians consider that the infinitive of this construction is part of a complex object.

I want her to tune in to the radio Bucharest.

(Vreau ca ea sa puna postul de radio Bucuresti)

The Short Infinitive in Accusative with the Infinitive is used after the following verbs :

transitive verbs expressing senses : to see , to hear , to notice,to observe

I saw him fall.

(L-am vazut cazand)

It is to be noted , however , that turning these constructions into passive , the infinitive is followed by “to” :

He was seen to fall.

(A fost vazut cazand)

2. causative verbs : to make , to have , to help

You make me laugh.

(Ma faci sa rad)

Will you help me (to) hang this painting on the wall?

(Ma ajuti sa agat acest tablou pr perete?)

The Long Infinitive with the Infinitive is asked by the following categories of verbs :

1. declarative verbs : to declare , to admit , to announce , to pronounce , to report , to state

He declared the news to be true.

(A declarat ca stirea e adevarata)

2. verbs expressing desire or will : to desire , to want , to like , to wish, to mean(a voi) , to expect , to hate , to intend

She wanted me to lend her my book.

(Voia sa-i imprumut cartea)

I’d like you to stop talking.

(As vrea sa nu mai vorbesti)

Celia had wanted him to stay.

(Celia dories ca el sa ramana) (Abrahams , “The Path of Thunder)

3. after verbs expressing order , command , permission or demand :

to ask (for), to order , to command , to allow , to suffer , to have ,

to permit

Why do not you allow her to go to the party?

(De ce nu-i dai voie sa mearga la petrecere?)

Though listed above , “to ask” , “to order” and some other verbs seem to fall into a category apart , which has little to do with “accusative with infinitive” , as in :

I asked (whom?) him (what?) to start at once.

(L-am rugat sa inceapa odata)

On the other hand , with the exception of “to suffer” and “to have”, all the verbs listed above precede the accusative with the infinitive if the latter is in the passive voice.

I ordered the tables to be brought in.

(Am dat ordin ca mesele sa fie aduse)

4. causative verbs : to cause , to determine , to force , to get

What caused you to be late?

(Ce te-a facut sa intarzii?)

5. after verbs expressing mental activities : to consider , to think , to imagine , to believe to suppose , to expect , to feel , to trust , to understand , to assume , to guess

They believed him to be single.

(Credeau ca e burlac)

After verbs expressing mental activities , to be is commonly used. “To expect” is an exception.[5]

6. after verbs such as : to bear , to prove , to report

Subsequent events proved him to have been wrong.

(Evenimentele urmatoare au dovedit ca el nu avusese dreptate)

7. after verbs followed by a prepositional object : to care to , to care for , to count on , to depend on , to look for , to look to , to send for , to wait for

I waited for him to come.

(L-am asteptat sa vina)

The Nominative With The Infinitive

The nominative with the infinitive represents a combination of a noun o 616e47g r pronoun in the nominative case and and infinitive. There being no such construction in Romanian , we generally translate the construction by means of clauses.

The nominative with the infinitive is a complex subject which together with the verb reduces the sentences to one :

It is known that he paints portraits.

that he paints portraits - propozitie subiectiva

(it) is known - propozitie predicative

(Se stie ca picteaza portrete)

He is known to paint portraits. - complex subject

This construction results from :

1) transformation of a subjective sentence dependant on the verbs :to seem , to happen , to appear , to chance , to turn out

He appeared to be sixty.

(Parea sa aiba vreo 60 de ani)

2) transformation of the accusative with the infinitive passive when the verbs permit this thing such as : to announce , to ask , to believe , to cause , to enable

The public was asked to leave the ball.

(Publicul a fost rugat sa paraseasca sala)

This construction is used to avoid the impersonal construction which is possible with these verbs also having a literary meaning :

It is believed/known/expected/reported that………….

The construction is used :

1. with the following verbs in the passive voice :

a) verbs expressing perception : to hear , to see , to feel , to watch , to notice , to perceive

b) verbs expressing mental activities : to consider , to think , to imagine , to believe , to expect , to suppose , to find , to feel , to understand

c) the verbs : to say , to report

He was seen to leave the town.

(A fost vazut parasind orasul)

Mention can be made that most of these verbs are also used in the accusative with the infinitive construction.

I heard him sing.(Acc. with the infinitive)

He was heard to sing.(Nom with the infinitive)

They knew you to be right. (Acc. with the infinitive)

(Stiau ca ai dreptate)

You were known to be right.(Nom. with the infinitive)

(Se stia ca tu ai dreptate)

With the exception of the verbs “to expect” and “to suppose” which can be found both in colloquial and literary English , the other verbs are generally used in the nominative with the infinitive only in literary English. [6]

The perfect infinitive used in such constructions shows that the action took place in a moment from the past.

The delegation is reported to have arrived in time.

(Se anunta ca delegatia a sosit la timp)[7]

2. with the verbs : to seem , to appear , to chance , to prove , to turn out

I happen to know them.

(Se intampla sa-i cunosc)

She turned out to be a first class pilot.

(S-a dovedit a fi un pilot de elita)

3. with the word groups : to be likely , to be sure/certain

He is sure to learn the rule.

(Va invata negresit)

Mary is sure to miss.

(Mary va lipsi cu siguranta)

A characteristic feature of a nominative wiyh the infinitive is that it may be extended into a subjective clause introduced by the introductory – anticipatory IT.

He is known to be a good guide.

It is known that he is a good guide.

(Se stie ca el este un ghid bun)

The For-To Infinitive

The For-To Infinitive construction contains an infinitive which is in predicate relation to a noun or pronoun preceded by the preposition “for”.

“There’s nothing for me to do”

(N-am nimic de facut) (J.K.Jerome ,“Three Men in a Boat”)

This construction replaces a subjective clause (with or without introductory“it”), attributive, causal and it is also used after the impersonal constructions with : “there “ or “it” : it is( im)possible , necessary , difficult , easy , right , wrong , (un)usual , (un)common.

It is customery for there to be a trip every Sunday.(subjective)

(Este obiceiul sa se organizeze o excursie in fiecare duminica)

There is a patch of grass for you to lie on.(attributive)

(Iata acolo un petic de iarba pe care sa te intinzi)

The For-To infinitive is used :

1. like a real subject anticipated by the introductory “it” , after a nominal predicate having as its predicative an adjective of the type : necessary , imperative , impossible , advisable , easy , difficult

It was necessary for someone to return to the camp.

(Era necesar ca cineva sa se intoarca la tabara)

Sometimes , it is to be found after a noun :

It is high time for him to make up his mind

(E timpul sa se hotarasca)

Note :

The construction can also occupy the normal position of the subject :

For her to undertake such a voyage at her age would be

madness.

(Ar fi nebunie curate sa intreprinda o asemenea calatorie la

varsta ei)

2. complex prepositional object

I was waiting for the show to begin.

(Asteptam sa inceapa spectacolul)

3.- adverbial modifier of purpose

They shouted for us to stop.

(Ne-au strigat sa ne oprim)

- adverbial modifier of condition

I should be sorry for him to fail.

(Mi-ar placea rau sa nu reuseasca)

- adverbial modifier of concession

Isn’t the bag too heavy for him to carry ?

(Nu este geanta prea grea ca el s-o poarte?)

4. attribute :

Here is a new hat for you to wear with your green dress.

(Uite o palarie noua pe care sa o porti la rochia verde)