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want the car repaired.
Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 9:38 pm
by googl
Dear Alan,
I want the car repaired.
Is this a causative construct? If yes, then which verbs can be used with causative? (I heard only have and get are possible) If no, then what is this?
Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2004 3:59 am
by Alan
Not really causative in the usual sense, since an infinitive has been ellipted here that could not occur in a true causative construction. That is, the sentence could be expanded to
I want the car TO BE repaired.
Cf., however, unacceptable
*I had the car TO BE repaired.
or absurd
!I got the car TO BE repaired.
Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 7:11 am
by googl
Is this the small clause? (I mean is it the same structure as with I found [the job (to be) boring]?)
Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 9:34 am
by Alan
Certainly, they are comparable, although of course 'to be' in
I found the job to be boring.
is a full verb, while in
I want the car to be repaired.
it is an auxiliary.