• Dutch
  • Frisian
  • Saterfrisian
  • Afrikaans
Show all
Position in the clause
quickinfo

Infinitival clauses forming a complex predicate with an Adjective Phrase (AP) can be preposed as a whole.

readmore

The complex AP + infinitival can be preposed, indicating it is a constituent. The AP may also be preposed on its own, but the infinitival clause by itself may not:

1
a. Maklik op te lossen is de som net
easy up to solve is the sum not
The sum is not easy to solve
b. Maklik is de som net op te lossen
easy is the sum not up to solve
The sum is not easy to solve
c. *Op te lossen is de som net maklik
up to solve is the sum not easy
The sum is not easy to solve

The grammatical sentences in (2) indicate that the infinitival clause alone may be extraposed, whereas the ungrammatical sentence in (2c) shows that the combination of adjective and infinitival clause may not be extraposed:

2
a. Omdat hy de som maklik op te lossen fynt
because he the sum easy up to solve finds
Because he finds the sum easy to solve
b. Omdat hy de som maklik fynt op te lossen
because he the sum easy finds up to solve
Because he finds the sum easy to solve
c. *Omdat hy de som fynt maklik op te lossen
because he the sum finds easy up to solve
Because he finds the sum easy to solve

Extraposition is blocked in case the verb cluster contains more than one verb. This is illustrated below, in which the construction is embedded below the verb fine find:

3
a. Omdat hy de som maklik fynt op te lossen
because he the sum easy finds up to solve
Because he finds the sum easy to solve
b. *Omdat hy de som maklik fûn hie op te lossen
because he the sum easy found had up to solve
Because he found the sum easy to solve

The same facts are illustrated below, in which the construction is embedded below the verb wêze be:

4
a. Omdat de som maklik wie op te lossen
because the sum easy was up to solve
Because the sum was easy to solve
b. *Omdat de som maklik west hie op te lossen
because the sum easy been had up to solve
Because the sum had been easy to solve

Grammatical sentences are obtained in case the infinitival clause is placed before the complex verb cluster:

5
a. Omdat hy de som maklik op te lossen fûn hie
because he the sum easy up to solve found had
Because he had found the sum easy to solve
b. Omdat de som maklik op te lossen west hie
because the sum easy up to solve been had
Because the sum had been easy to solve
References
    printreport errorcite