Block 22 · pages 202-215

Chapter 4: Clausal Complements – Verbal Nouns, Subjunctive, sa, and kud

4.3.10 Verbs with a Clausal Complement

Four strategies are observed for verbal complementation.

Strategy I: Verbal noun complement (most integrated). The finite verb is followed by a verbal noun without complementizer. Used with verbs of duration, cognition, manipulation, ability (see 4.3.3.1).

Strategy II: Subordinate clause in subjunctive mood. Used only by cí 'say' (when meaning 'think/want') and dís 'let'. The subject of the complement clause is coreferential with the subject or object of the main verb (e.g., a-ccí a-m-tén 'he wanted to come', lit. 'he said he would arrive'; díis-a a-m-kó 'let him leave!').

Strategy III: (In)direct object reference in subordinate clause with (im)perfective aspect. No complementizer; the direct object of the main clause is subject of the complement clause. Used with perception verbs like mó 'hear', guná 'see', yogá 'perceive', gár 'find', and impersonals like gór 'must', tə́gor 'begin', ko 'can'. The complement verb can be perfective or imperfective depending on simultaneity/completion (e.g., aɣa-mmo i-se i-f-tén 'I heard them arrive/arriving'; a-gor i-b-ʃíkʃa 'they had to feed her').

Strategy IV: With complementizer sa. Widely used with many verbs, including báaɣa 'want', yilzəm 'be necessary', yasák 'wish', yasáf 'prefer', káw aʃʃak 'be sure', s-əntá 'begin', yabúk 'be at the point of', yordá 'think', may-ənda 'ought to', kun-ənda 'have the means to'. Impersonal verbs like yahór 'need to', yába 'lack', híʃʃil 'be obliged to' also take sa complements. The complement clause verb is typically in the future, but other MAN markers occur (e.g., aɣa-bbáaɣa sa ay-tə-dá ana t-a-nə́fus-t 'I want to tell you a story'; a-híʃʃil ayay s(a) ay-tə-kó 'I must go').

4.3.10.4 Complement clause with kúd and kud da

After verbs of intellectual activity like báy 'know', s-ə́stən 'ask', sə́-mm-ədrən 'reflect on', the complement clause is introduced by kúd 'if' (e.g., aɣa-b-sə́-mm-ədrən kúd a-ttén meɣ a-nə-tén 'I wonder if he arrived or not'). kud dáɣ 'even if' also occurs.

Keywords : clausal complement verbal noun subjunctive complementizer sa kud impersonal verbs perception verbs