Accusative and infinitive

The accusativus cum infinitivo (lat. = accusative with infinitive ), also abbreviated AcI, is a known mainly from Latin and ancient Greek, but also common in other languages ​​sentence construction.

  • 2.1 Further Examples

Latin

A AcI object of a higher verb of perception, knowledge, or of speaking (that is a " Kopfverbs " ) ( verba sentiendi et dicendi ) or certain impersonal expressions ( constat -, it is clear ').

The accusative of AcI is usually reproduced in the translation as the subject of an element set with the initial conjunct that the infinitive as its predicate. Is the AcI prematurely, he is in the infinitive perfect, with a simultaneity in the present infinitive and posteriority in the infinitive future tense. Is the subject in AcI equal to the subject of the matrix clause, as can Subjektsakkusativ in the reflexive pronoun se AcI stand. It must he, she or it be compiled with the non-reflexive personal pronoun.

A AcI can also be translated as indirect speech. A literal translation into German is only possible with verbs of sensory perception.

Examples

A well-known example is the Cato quote attributed Ceterum censeo Carthage, eat delendam.

Ceterum censeo means, by the way, I am of the opinion ', Carthage, is the accusative of Carthage and eat an infinitive; delere means destroy ', in the present nd - shape, to be destroyed (city) '. So, the rest, I am of the opinion that Carthage must be destroyed '.

Without AcI: Gaius dicit: " Lucius multos amicos ad CENAM invitat. " - Gaius says, Lucius invites a lot of friends over for dinner .''

With AcI: Gaius Lucium multos amicos ad CENAM Invitare dicit. - Gaius says Lucius invite many friends to dinner "or" Gaius says that Lucius many invite friends to dinner '. .

With AcI: Lucius amicum by aulam properare videt. - Lucius sees that the boyfriend rushes through the yard '(or, Lucius sees his friend rush through the yard ' where the AcI construction is retained in German ).

Without AcI: Consul Putat: Populus Romanus senatoribus fidem all were. - The consul thinks: The Roman people has to trust the senators '.

With AcI: Consul populum Romanum senatoribus fidem habere Putat. - The consul believes that the Roman people have confidence in the senators '.

Ambiguous AcI: Aio te Romanos vincere posse. - Either, I'm saying that you can defeat the Romans ' or ' I say that you can defeat the Romans '; Words of the Pythia to Pyrrhus, ( narrated by Quintus Ennius ).

Ancient Greek

In ancient Greek, this is similar. However, here the AcI is usually used only when its subject is different from the subject of the parent predicate.

If this is not the case, usually the simple infinitive is set:

With AcI: νομίζω σε εἰδέναι (Latin puto te scire ), I think you know '.

Without AcI: νομίζω εἰδέναι (Latin scire puto me ), I think I know ' ( or,' ... to know ').

The AcI is in Greek after verbs of saying and opining, and wishing, desire, ability and volition ( as an object ) and after impersonal expressions ( as a subject ).

Other examples

Εν τοῖς φαύλοις φιλίαν γίγνεσθαι οὐκ ἔξεστιν. That arises among the wicked, friendship, is not possible. '

German

Also in Germany, the AcI construction can use, although not as frequently as in Latin. Especially after verbs of perception often comes before a comparable sentence structure: The sentence "I hear the wind whistling " is synonymous with, I hear that the wind whistles '. Here, " the wind " is in the accusative, and " whistle " is an infinitive, which acts as a predicate to "Wind ".

English

  • I saw her go. ( I saw them go. 'Or' I saw that she left. ')
  • I would like him to know ... ( I want him to know ... ') - him is here in the shape of the object.

Furthermore, it comes in Kausativsätzen ago:

  • That always makes me blink. (, That always makes me blink. ' ( Veralt. ) or, That always means that I blink .')
  • The guard let her pass. (, The guard let them pass. ')

The English AcI can - depending on the valence of the main verb - either the "full infinitive " ( to go), or with the "bare infinitive " (go) are formed. Some verbs must be made between active and passive voice here. Compare:

  • I heard her say ... (active, 'I heard her say ... ')
  • She was heard to say ... (passive: It was heard, as she said ... ')
Dependent clause Pyrrhus of Epirus Causative
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