‘Want’ Complement Subjects (Feature 97)
From Apics
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Feature Annotation
Here we are looking at same-subject complement clauses of ‘want’ (e.g. She wants to go home). The main question is whether the ‘want’ complement clause, whose subject is referentially identical with the ‘want’ subject, contains an overt subject pronoun (value 2), or is left implicit (value 1).
Some languages do not use a ‘want’ verb, but instead have a desiderative affix on the verb (value 3), or an uninflected adverb-like particle meaning ‘want’ (value 4).
Additional remarks
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Values
| Value | Value Annotation | |
| 1 | The complement subject is left implicit | English He wants [Ø to go]. |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | The complement subject is expressed overtly | Modern Greek Thél-o [na pá-o] lit. [I-want that I-go] 'I want to go'. |
| 3 | ‘Want’ is expressed as a desiderative verbal affix | (Apurinã) |
| 4 | ‘Want’ is expressed as an uninflected desiderative particle | (Itzaj) |
WALS No.
124 (Total)
