Adjective + infinitive

Question

Hello,1. Bob is sorry to hear it.The infinitive 'to hear' modifies  the adjective 'sorry'. so  'to hear' an adverbial.Is it correct?Thanks.

Fivejedjon · Accepted Answer

hanuman_2000The infinitive 'to hear' modifies the adjective

I don't think it does.

GPY · Answer

fivejedjonI don't think it does.

So what would you say is the function of "to hear it" in the sentence?

Fivejedjon · Answer

I have to admit that I have given up trying to label the function of the infinitive following catenative verbs in such diverse utterances as:

Like helped wash up.
Luke helped to wash up. Luke wanted to wash up. Luke refused to wash up.
Luke helped me wash up.
Luke helped me to wash up. Luke wanted me to wash up.
Luke made me wash up.
Luke promised to wash up, Luke offered to wash up.
Luke has to wash up.
Luke left (the room) to wash up. Luke stopped (what he was doing) to wash up.
Luke began to wash up.

GPY · Answer

I didn't consider that it might be a catenative verb.

I see the analysis as "Bob is [sorry to hear it]", where "sorry to hear it" is a phrase, apparently with "to hear it" modifying "sorry", as a legitimate one, albeit perhaps not the only one. I'm not surprised that opinions about this vary though.

Fivejedjon · Answer

You are right. I was wrong. Of course no catenative verb is involved. Sorry. Too much gin on my cornflakes again/

David Hatton · Answer

It amazes me how much emphasis in teaching English overseas is placed on naming and labeling elements of sentences.  From an English perspective, we certainly wouldn't dream of labeling everything unless we were studying advanced linguistics.  I'm a grammar consultant and an English teacher for primary school age children and am increasingly being asked what the point is of labeling every element of a sentence as the government is keen for children to do; to a point I can see its use but it does seem, judging from questions on here, as though foreign learners are being asked to name and label far more than is useful.  Do others agree?

GPY · Answer

David HattonDo others agree?

I don't have a problem with labelling elements of sentences, as one aspect of learning. I think it is a useful way of understanding how sentences work.

Fivejedjon · Answer

David Hatton Do others agree?

Yes. I have had a lifelong interest in English grammar, but I think that this has as little value in real life as my equally long passion for westerns.

For most learners of a language (their own or a foreign language) grammar and its terminology is valuable only if it helps in the acquisition of that language.I don't really see how the ability of primary school children in England to communicate effectively in their own language is enhanced by being obliged to be able to recognize subjunctive, present, perfect, past progressive and modal forms (test).

When academic grammarians themselves cannot agree on terminology, what is the point of insisting that foreign learners, have to decide on the correct word-class label for the word 'up' in 'He looked the word up in a dictionary'? Some learners of English as a foreign language are obliged to waste time distinguishing between gerunds and participles, a distinction that has been dismissed as unimportant by A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language, The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, the Oxford Modern English Grammar and others.

Some terminology is extremely useful in assisting learners to communicate effectively, but it should a means to an end, not and en in itself (except for those who wish to study it as an academic subject). Being able to list a dozen ergative verbs helps a student speak English better as little as being able list a dozen characters played by John Wayne.

David Hatton · Answer

I think we're kindred spirits in this regard; I see the value in many things when it comes to teaching formal grammar but the over-reliance on ascribing a label to things is often redundant in the native-speakers' work and doesn't always help the foreign learner.
I frequently look at questions from learners on these forums and think 'I'm a supposed expert in this language yet I have no idea what you're on about' when a sentence is being dissected and labelled as to the 'name' or 'purpose' of a specific element. It does, as you say, appear to be an end in itself rather than a means to provide a firmer understanding of the language and what one can do with it.
Perhaps some language schools prefer to throw out increasingly arcane and unnecessary tasks to their learners in order to appear to be offering a 'better' service whereas in reality the people setting the questions and running the courses would sound distinctly unnatural were they to try communicating with a native speaker.

Fivejedjon · Answer

This interest me, but I think we have highjacked hanuman's thread for too long. Sorry, hanuman. Let's get back to the original question:

1. Bob is sorry to hear it.

The infinitive 'to hear' modifies the adjective 'sorry'. so 'to hear' an adverbial.

Is it correct?

Adjective + infinitive

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