Theory of Complementation in English Syntax

The subject of this study, first published in 1979, is the role of the complementizer in English syntax and its implications for syntactic theory. It is argued that the familiar transformational treatment of complementizers is inadequate, and that they must be specified in deep structure by means of a Phrase Structure rule. This title will be of interest to students of language and linguistics.

Joan Bresnan

Introductory Note; 1. On Complementizers 2. The Semantic Functions of the Predicate Complementizers 3. The Role of the Complementizer in Infintival Complementation 4. On the Nature of Syntactic Representation 5. Extending the Inventory of Complementizers; List of References