earticle

영어

Focusing on Free Merge and the Labeling Algorithm within a Minimalist framework, this study aims to investigate the structure of bare infinitival complements selected by perception verbs in English, with occasional reference to to-infinitival constructions for contrast. Although these two types of complement differ only superficially in the presence or absence of ‘to’, they draw contrasts in tense interpretation, auxiliary insertion, and passivization. Previous analyses have often attributed such differences to semantic or pragmatic factors without fully accounting for the underlying syntactic structure. This paper argues that these contrasts arise from the formal properties of T. In bare infinitival complements, T is defective and lacks a valued tense feature (uTdef), undergoing pair-Merge with v, which prevents auxiliary insertion and embedded subject movement. In contrast, to-infinitival complements involve an overt T (toTdef) with valued tense features, undergoing set-Merge with vP—allowing for auxiliary realization, embedded subject movement, and passivization. The properties of T determine the type of Merge operation involved. This analysis offers a unified account of perception verb complements and demonstrates the explanatory power of Merge-based derivations and the Labeling Algorithm in Minimalist syntax.