Some Observations on Verbs with Obligatory Control in Croatian

• Main Authors: Tena Gnjatović, Ranko Matasović
• Format: Article
• Language: Croatian
• Published: Institut za hrvatski jezik i jezikoslovlje 2013-01-01
• Series: Rasprave: Časopis Instituta za Hrvatski Jezik i Jezikoslovlje
• Subjects: obligatory control; macroroles; Role and Reference Grammar; scope; Croatian
• Online Access: http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/174061

Obligatory control refers to the relation of obligatory coreference between one of the arguments in the matrix clause and an unexpressed argument of the subordinate infinitive. This paper provides examples of subject and object control in Croatian that reveal significant differences between these two constructions. Subject control is understood as a purely syntactic relation, while the analysis of object control requires the introduction of semantic macroroles. The two constructions are therefore based on different basic principles, which results in various asymmetries with regard to restrictions on possible syntactic realizations. Moreover, the limitations on scope interpretation of temporal adverbs resulting from word order changes in object control constructions suggest that the two verbs in object control might form a tighter unit than those in subject control constructions.