The infinitive can be used in different syntactic functions. A single infinitive occurs but seldom: in most cases we find an infinitive phrase, i.e. an infinitive with one or several accompanying words.
1. The infinitive as a subject.
To doubt, under the circumstances, is almost to insult. (Ch..Bronte)
.
acquire knowledge and to acquire it unceasingly, is the first duty of the
artist. (Thurston)
,
.
Even to think of it gave him ineffable torture. (Bennett)
.
be recognized, greeted by some local personage afforded her a joy which
was very great. (Cronin)
-
, .
From these examples we can see that the infinitive as a subject can be rendered in Russian by an infinitive, by a noun, or by a clause.
Though the infinitive as the subject sometimes precedes the predicate, cases when it follows the predicate are far more common; with the infinitive in the latter position, the sentence opens with the introductory it, which serves as an introductory subject. The introductory it is not translated into Russian.
It is useless to discuss the question. (Eliot)
.
It was pleasant to be driving a car again. (Braine)
.
2. The infinitive as a preidicative.
My intention is to get into parliament. (Trollope)
.
The infinitive can also be used as part of a predicative.
The abode of Mrs. Betty was not easy to find. (Dickens)
.
3. The infinitive as part of a compound verbal predicate.
(a) With modal verbs, modal expressions, and verbs expressing modality the infinitive forms part of a compound verbal modal predicate.
We must not leave him by himself any longer. (Dickens)
The train was to leave at midnight. (Hemingway)
...I intend to lead a better life in the future. (Wilde)
(b) With verbs denoting the beginning, duration, or end of an action the infinitive forms part of a compound verbal aspect predicate.
Imprisonment began to tell upon him. (Dickens)
Before daylight it started to drizzle. (Hemingway)
Clare continued to observe her. (Hardy)
... they gradually ceased to talk. (Twain)
(For detailed treatment of the compound, verbal predicate see Chapter XV, 16, 17.)
4. The infinitive as an object.
Leila had learned to dance at boarding school. (Mansfield)
After the verbs to allow, to order, to ask, to beg, to request, to implore, to teach, to instruct we often find two objects, one of which is expressed by an infinitive.
After waiting some time, Mrs. Clements... ordered the cabman to drive back to her lodgings. (Collins)
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He asked me to walk in. (Collins)
And the curate does not teach you to read and to write then? (E. Bronte)
The infinitive used as an object can be preceded by the introductory object it. The introductory object is not translated into Russian.
He found it utterly impossible to leave the spot. (Hardy)
.
5. The infinitive as part of a complex object.
I never saw you act this way before. (Dreiser)
, .
(A detailed treatment of the infinitive used as part of a complex object is given in 32.)
6. The infinitive as an attribute.
The use of the infinitive as an attribute is far more extensive in English than in Russian: in Russian it modifies only abstract nouns, whereas in English it modifies both abstract and class nouns, indefinite pronouns (somebody, something, anybody, anything, etc.), ordinal numerals and the adjective last.
The infinitive as an attribute is rendered in Russian by an infinitive (chiefly after abstract nouns), by a subordinate clause or by a finite verb serving as the predicate of a simple sentence (after ordinal numerals and the adjective last).
I have not had time to examine this room yet. (Conan Doyle)
.
Bathsheba was not a woman... to suffer in silence. (Hardy)
, .
I have nobody to say a kind word to me. (Trollope)
, .
was the first to offer his hand to the Russians. (Heym)
On .
When his engine broke down, it was the last to be repaired. (Heym)
, .
The infinitive used as an attribute often has a modal significance it expresses an action thought of as obligatory or possible.
Ive got my wife and little boy to look after. (Dreiser)
, .
There must be a lot of things in this world to make you very unhappy. (Thurston)
, , , .
Tess was no insignificant creature to toy with and dismiss. (Hardy)
, .
Sometimes the infinitive used as an attribute implies a more or less prominent idea of purpose.
Here is a nice book to read before going to bed.
, .
Here is a charming little cottage to spend the summer in.
, .
...he had no courage to face danger. (Dreiser)
... .
There was no time now to think there was only time to give the medicine.
(Collins)
,
.
7. The infinitive as an adverbial modifier.
(a) The infinitive can be an adverbial modifier of purpose.
Laws were not made to be broken,laws were made to stay within. (Heym)
, , ,
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pacify her, I held the window ajar a few seconds. (E. Bronte)
, .
The infinitive as an adverbial modifier of purpose can be introduced by in order and so as.
Sometimes you retreat in order to advance. (Heym)
, .
Soames put on his coat so as not to be cold. (Galsworthy)
c , .
(b) The infinitive canbe used as an adverbial modifier of result. This chiefly occurs after adjectives modified by the adverbs enough and too.
His eyes were sharp enough to look after his own interest. (Heym)
,
.
I was too busy to see anyone. (Wilson)
, .
The infinitive as an adverbial modifier of result is also tobe found in sentences of the following type:
He was so weak as to be unable to work.
, .
Mr. Rokesmith has been so polite as to place his sitting-room at our
disposal today. (Dickens)
,
.
And he is such a fool as to think that his idle chatter can influence others.
(Trollope)
, , -
.
As the above examples show the result expressed by the infinitive is often negative.
(c) The infinitive can be an adverbial modifier of comparison (manner);in most cases with an additional meaning of purpose. In this function it is introduced by the conjunction as if or as though.
She nervously moved her hand towards his lips as if to stop him... (Dickens)
, .
(d) The infinitive can be used as an adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances.
She was driven away, never to revisit this neighbourhood. (E. Bronte)
.
I am sorry to have raised your expectations, Mr. Blake, only to disappoint
them. (Collins)
, , ,
, .
N o t e. Some grammarians maintain that in sentences of this type the
infinitive performs the function of an adverbial modifier of result
(consequence).
8. The infinitive as parenthesis.
Well, to cut a long story short,they thought it would be more economical to
live at the villa. (Maugham)
, , .
was rude, to say the least of it.
, .
put it mildly,he was not up to the mark.
, .
speak the truth, I have been a little troubled, but it is over. (Dickens)
, , .
brought with him a collection of Indian curios, to say nothing of an
independent fortune and several slaves. (Dreiser)
,
.
Infinitive constructions.
In Modern English we find the following predicative constructions with the infinitive:
(1) the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction;
(2) the Subjective Infinitive Construction;
(3) the for-to- Infinitive Construction.
