Recursos gramaticais para a expressão de proposições dependentes da valência do predicado em Português, Espanhol e Alemão

Abstract

In this paper, after sketching basic methodical differences between the description of subordinate clauses in the Luzo-Brasilian and German grammatical traditions, we present a description of completive clauses and equivalent constructions in the three languages considered, based on a model of grammar which includes sentence meaning in the description of Grammar. We consider proposition a semantic entity (sentence meaning), constituted by the semantic properties of the predicate by means of its semantic valency. Syntatic valency, then, decides on the morpho-syntatic constructions utilizable, with a certain predicate, to express the respective underlying dependent proposition. A good deal of the article is expended on the description of these means of expression, among which we count conjuntional sentences and infinitive constructions in the functions of subject, object and adverbial complement or in the function of noun complement, as well substantivized constructions, nominalizations and pronominalizations. We also discuss constructions with subject raising, in which we include conjunctional constructions, infinitive constructions, gerund constructions and gerundial infinitive constructions as well as adjective phrases, noun phrases and prepositional phrases, being all of them ways of redusing propositions with nominal predicates or predicates of location. Finally, we refer to one-sentence-constructions with raising of various arguments. The comparison with German showes the greater richnessof means of expression for dependent propositions in two Ibero-Romance languages: the comparison between the latter gives evidence of subtle differences beteween Portuguese and Spanish.