Control alternations. On control properties in infinitival goal adjuncts in Baltic
Abstract
This article deals with control phenomena in a particular type of infinitival adjuncts in Baltic, viz. in goal adjuncts with transitive verbs of motion. It has already been noted in the literature that, though infinitival adjuncts are often assumed to have implicit subjects controlled by the matrix clause subject, certain subtypes select a matrix clause object as a controller. This is also often the case with goal adjuncts: individual languages may choose either the matrix clause subject or the matrix clause object as a controller. As shown in this article, Lithuanian and Latvian have grammaticalized both types of control, i.e. for most verbs occurring in infinitival goal adjuncts alternative constructions with the two patterns of control (subject and object control) are available. The alternative control patterns correlate with transitivity vs. intransitivity marking on the infinitive in the goal adjunct. The article reflects on the syntactic interpretation of the observed facts, examines the distribution of the two control patterns over lexical classes of verbs occurring in the goal adjuncts, and looks at the implications of the facts for the theory of control.
Keywords
Latvian; Lithuanian; infinitival adjuncts; goal clauses; purpose clauses; control; motion verbs
University of Warsaw, Faculty of Polish Studies, Chair of General Linguistics, East Asian Comparative Linguistics and Baltic Studies, Krakowskie Przedmieście 26-28, PL-00-927 Warszawa Poland
