LINGUIST List 4.41

Tue 26 Jan 1993

Qs: Infinitives, ESL, syllables

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1. Martin Haase, Portuguese personal infinitive
2. Logical Language Group, ESL - My experiences as a Russian adoptive parent
3. susan, 600

I am in search for data (i.e. example sentences) on the Portuguese
personal infinitive. I am especially interested in examples where
only the personal or impersonal infinitives can be used, and in the
semantic and/or stylistic differences where both are possible (with
illustrative examples). If you have bibliographic data as well, please
let me know.
Here are some concrete questions:
1) Is there some preference for one of the two constructions with modal
verbs (can, want, know)? What about constructions such as "to let/make
someone do something"?
2) What about the personal / impersonal infinitive after verbs of
perception (see, hear) and verbs of saying (say, think, ask)?
3) What about infinitives after prepositions?
4) What about negated infinitives?
Please reply directly to me (preferably with concrete examples).
Thank you very much!
Martin

I recently adopted two Russian children (ages 5 and 6), and they are slowly
learning English while at least so far retaining their native Russian. I've
written a lay article on some of the linguistic issues involved in adopting
a non-English-speaking child for circulation to other adoptive parents and
prospective adoptive parents. In the article I make some claims based mostly
on my personal experience, and secondarily on the prejudices I've acquired
as a linguist, but not with any real research into the problems of adoptive
children of this type or the nature of second language acquisition in
children of that age (or younger). I am interested in having people who know
more about the subject comment on my statements and the article in general,
and have the article available on-line for others interested in reading it.
It is probably too long for Linguist List posting, though if there is
substantial interest, it could perhaps be loaded on the file server after I
correct any errors pointed out by those who look at it.

I of course am interested in contact with others going through a similar ESL
experience, especially with adoptive children.

lojbab lojbabgrebyn.com
Bob LeChevalier, President, The Logical Language Group, Inc.
2904 Beau Lane, Fairfax VA 22031-1303 USA 703-385-0273

 I am looking for references about
the effects of the numbers of syllables
on the judgement of the meaning in the semantic perception. Please reply
to me directly. Thanks!

Susan Shen
SHENEMX.CC.UTEXAS.EDU