earticle

영어

According to cognitive-functional grammar, it is said that meaning and form in a language are closely related to each other and that a difference in form leads to a difference in function and meaning. From this cognitive-functional perspective, this paper examines the semantic and pragmatic differences between to-infinitive and that-clause as the verb complement clauses in English. An attempt is first made to explore difference in meaning between two clauses in terms of subjectivity and objectivity from the perspective of the interest and involvement about the complement of the main clause subject. And the difference among potentiality, realization and factivity is shown from the perspectives of the realization and non-realization of the complement. It is also shown that the clear difference in meaning exists in directness and indirectness based on clause integration and proximity. Then, it is reviewed that this meaning and form interaction in to-infinitive and that-clause alternation is iconically reflected in the meaning of the subjectivity, objectivity, directness and indirectness.