Sentential Complementation

Overview

Sentential complementation refers to the grammatical phenomenon where a clause functions as a complement to a verb, noun, or adjective. These clauses, often introduced by complementizers like ‘that’ or ‘if’, are essential for completing the meaning of the head word.

Key Concepts

The core idea is that a clause acts as a syntactic argument. This means the clause fills a slot typically occupied by a noun phrase or a similar constituent.

• Subject Complements: The clause acts as the subject.
• Object Complements: The clause acts as the direct or indirect object.
• Predicate Complements: The clause functions within the predicate.

Deep Dive

Sentential complements can be finite (containing a tensed verb) or non-finite (lacking a tensed verb, e.g., infinitival or participial clauses). The choice of complementizer and the type of clause often depend on the semantics of the head word.

Consider the verb ‘believe’. It typically takes a finite sentential complement:

She believes that he is telling the truth.

Compare this with an adjective like ‘aware’:

He is aware of the consequences.

This ‘of’ is a preposition, but the clause following it functions similarly to a sentential complement.

Applications

Understanding sentential complementation is crucial for:

• Natural Language Processing (NLP): Parsing sentence structure and semantic roles.
• Linguistics Research: Analyzing syntactic dependencies and clause types.
• Language Acquisition: How learners master complex sentence structures.

Challenges & Misconceptions

A common confusion is with relative clauses, which modify nouns rather than acting as arguments. Sentential complements are semantically integral to the head; removing them would leave the sentence incomplete or ungrammatical.

FAQs

What is the function of a sentential complement?

It provides essential information, acting as a subject, object, or other argument to complete the meaning of a verb, noun, or adjective.

Are all clauses sentential complements?

No, clauses can also function as adverbials or relative clauses, which have different syntactic roles.