Semantic Constraints Ⅲ : Semifactivity

Abstract

Kiparaky and Kiparsky (1971) discuss three syntactic characteristics of factive-::-predicates that take factive object clauses, i.e., complement clauses that are presupposed to~.be true by the speaker of the sentence. First, they- point out, only factive predicates can have as their objects the noun fact with a gerund or that-clause, as we see in grammaticality of the sentences in (l) with factive predicates and ungrammaticality of the sentences in (2) with non-factive predicates.