The Syntax of Early English - Cryptm.org

7Changes in infinitival constructions7.1 IntroductionConstructions with infinitival verb forms are a prominent feature ofpresent-day English syntax. The infinitive without to occurs routinely aftermodal auxiliaries (e.g. I will/might/could do my homework now) and after verbsof perception and causation (e.g. I saw/heard/made him do his homework),while the infinitive with to occurs after a range of verbs with widely varyingproperties (I tried to do it; I promised Peter to do it; I ordered Peter to do it; Ipersuaded Peter to do it; I believe him to be innocent). If we compare the distributionand properties of infinitives in the present-day language with theirOld English counterparts, the conclusion must be that some pervasive changeshave taken place. Some of these changes seem to be largely quantitative:Manabe (1989) has shown, on the basis of a large collection of data, thatinfinitival clauses replaced finite ones at a fast rate in Middle English. Thus, inOld English (as in present-day German and Dutch), the usual constructionafter verbs expressing purpose or intention was a æt-clause, as in (1):(1) . . . and bebead am cwellerum æt hi hine mid wium,...and ordered the torturers that they him with cordshandum and fotum on ære rode gebundonhands and feet on the cross bound‘and [he] ordered the torturers to fasten his hands and feet with cords to thecross’ (ÆCHom I, 38.594.29)In Middle English the to-infinitive became more and more usual after theseverbs, and in some cases it even replaced the that-clause altogether so that witha number of these verbs, that-clauses sound distinctly odd in present-dayEnglish,(2) a. *?He commanded them that they should tie him upb. ?We warned them that they should not go skatingwhereas in German and Dutch the equivalent dass/dat-clause would be moreusual or even obligatory here.211