The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction

The Objective with the Infinitive is a construction in which the infinitive is in predicate relation to a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the objective case. In the sentence this construction has the function of a complex object.

In translating the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction into Russian we nearly always use a subordinate clause.

 

He’s a wonderful teacher and I’ve never seen him lose his temper or get

angry about anything. (Wilson)

Он замечательный учитель, и я никогда не видел, чтобы он вышел из

себя или рассердился из-за чего-нибудь.

 

However, sometimes asentence containing the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is rendered by a simple sentence.

 

...the bombings at night made the old walls shake to their foundations.

(Heym)

...от ночных бомбежек старые стены содрогались до самого основания

(бомбежки заставляли стены содрогаться).

 

THE USE OF THE OBJECTIVE-WITH-THE-INFINITIVE CONSTRUCTION

1. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs denoting sense perception, such as to hear, to see, to watch, to feel, to observe, to notice, etc.

 

I haven’t heard anyone call me. (Wilde)

Я не слышал, чтобы кто-нибудь меня звал.

I saw Brown enter the room. (Braine)

Я видел, как Браун вошел в комнату.

I felt the blood rush into my cheeks, and then leave them again. (Collins)

Я почувствовал, как кровь прилила к моим щекам и затем снова отхлынула от них.

 

After verbs of sense perception only the Indefinite Infinitive Active is used. If the meaning is passive we use Participle II.

 

I saw the fire slowly conquered. (Collins)

Я видел, как пожар постепенно потушили.

 

If a process is expressed Participle I Indefinite Active is used.

 

He saw Fleur coming. (Galsworthy)

 

N o t e 1. — The verb to see is followed by a clause and not by the Objective-

with-the-Infinitive Construction when it is not really a verb of sense

perception, i. e. when it means ‘to understand’.

 

I saw that he did not realize the danger.

Я видел (понимал), что он не сознает опасности.

 

After the verbs to see and to notice the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is not used with the verb to be; a subordinate clause is used in such cases.

 

I saw that he was pale.

 

N o t e 2. — When the verb to hear is not a verb of sense perception, i. e.

when it means ‘to learn’, ‘to be told’, a clause or a gerund (and not the

Objective-with-the-Infinitive) is used.

 

I hear that he left for the South (of his having left for the South).

Я слышал (мне сказали), что он уехал на юг.

 

2. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs denoting mental activity, such as to know, to think, to consider, to believe, to suppose, to expect, to imagine, to find, to feel, to trust, etc.

After verbs of mental activity in the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction the verb to be is generally used. (This restriction does not apply to the verb to expect.) The use of this construction after most verbs of mental activity is more characteristic of literary than of colloquial style.

 

I know you to be the most honest, spotless creature that ever lived. (Hardy)

Я знаю, что вы самое честное и безупречное существо из всех, когда-

либо живших на свете.

I believe him to have no conscience at all. (Hardy)

Я считаю, что у него совершенно нет совести.

If you suppose that boy to be friendless, you deceive yourself. (Dickens)

Если вы предполагаете, что у этого мальчика нет друзей, вы ошибаетесь.

Everybody expected her to marry Pete. (Caine)

Все ожидали, что она выйдет замуж за Пита.

 

After verbs of mental activity the Perfect Infinitive is used but seldom.

 

The doctor found his heart to have stopped two hours before. (Hardy)

Доктор установил, что его сердце перестало биться два часа тому назад.

 

N o t e. — With the verbs to think, to consider, to find the same idea can be

expressed without an infinitive.

 

Boldwood thought her beautiful. (Hardy)

She found the subject rather interesting. (Dickens)

You consider yourself an impressive person,eh? (Shaw)

 

3. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs of declaring: to pronounce, to declare, to report.

 

The surgeon pronounced the wound to be a slight one.

Врач сказал, что рана легкая.

She declared him to be the most disobedient child in existence.

Она заявила, что это самый непослушный ребенок на свете.

 

4. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs denoting wish and intention: to want, to wish, to desire, to mean, to intend, to choose (in the meaning of ‘хотеть’).

 

I want you to come and dine with me. (Dickens)

Я хочу, чтобы вы пришли пообедать со мной.

I particularly wished those books to be returned tonight. (Dickens)

Я очень хотел, чтобы эти книги были возвращены сегодня.

She desired me to follow her upstairs. (Ch. Bronte)

Она велела, чтобы я пошла за ней наверх.

I did not mean you to learn the poem by heart.

Я не имел в виду, чтобы вы выучили стихотворение наизусть.

Не intended me to go with him to India. (Ch. Bronte)

Он хотел, чтобы я поехала с ним в Индиго.

I don’t choose you to go by yourself to an hotel. (Collins)

Я не хочу, чтобы вы одна жили в гостинице.

 

5. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs and expressions denoting feeling and emotion: to like, to dislike, to love, to hate, cannot bear, etc.

 

I dislike you to talk like that.

Я не люблю, когда вы так говорите.

I hate him to be flogged. (E. Bronte)

Я терпеть не могу, когда его бьют.

I cannot bear you to speak of that. (Eliot)

Я не могу выносить, когда вы говорите об этом.

 

6. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs denoting order and permission: to order, to allow, to suffer, to have etc.

Here we find the Objective with the Infinitive only if the object is expressed by a noun or pronoun denoting a lifeless thing or when the infinitive is passive. This restriction does not apply to the verbs to suffer and to have.

 

Mr. Merdle ordered his carriage to be ready early in the morning.

(Dickens)

Мистер Мердль приказал, чтобы экипаж был готов рано утром.

She... had never allowed the name of John Gordon to pass her lips.

(Trollope)

Она никогда не позволяла себе произносить имя Джона Гордона.

Mr. Dombey suffered Florence to play with Paul.

Мистер Домби неохотно разрешил (позволил скрепя сердце) Флоренс

играть с Полем.

She suffered Mr. Franklin to lead her back into the room. (Collins)

Она позволила мистеру Франклину отвести себя обратно в комнату.

Miss Jemima could not suffer Becky to leave the Academy without a

present.

Мисс Джемайма не могла допустить, чтобы Бекки уехала из пансиона

без подарка.

I won’t have you speak like it, dear Tess! (Hardy)

Я не могу допустить, чтобы вы так говорили, милая Тэсс!

 

From these examples we see that the verb to suffer, when-followed by the Objective with the Infinitive, is rendered in affirmative sentences by неохотно разрешить, позволить (скрепя сердце). In negative sentences it is rendered by допускать. The verb to have denotes permission only in negative sentences; it is very close in meaning to the verb to suffer and is translated in the same way.

If the object is expressed by a noun or pronoun denoting a living being and the infinitive is active we find two direct objects.

 

He ordered Alderson to perfect his plan. (Dreiser)

They only allow me to write one letter in three months. (Dreiser)

 

7. The Objective-with-the Infinitive Construction is used after verbs denoting compulsion: to make (in the meaning of ‘заставить’), to cause (in the meaning of ‘заставить’, ‘распорядиться’), to get (in the meaning of ‘добиться’), to have (in the meaning of ‘заставить; сказать чтобы’).

 

Light steps in the gravel made him turn his head. (London)

Легкие шаги по гравию заставили его повернуть голову.

The noise caused her to awake.

Or шума она проснулась (шум заставил ее проснуться).

She caused a telegram to be sent to him. (Galsworthy)

Она распорядилась, чтобы ему послали телеграмму.

1 cannot get her to finish her lessons. (A. Bronte)

Я не могу добиться, чтобы она приготовила уроки.

Mr. Dalrymple had the drayman bring in the soap. (Dreiser)

Мистер Далримпл велел возчику внести мыло в дом.

 

8. Though the infinitive as a rule is not used with verbs requiring prepositions, the Objective with the Infinitive is widely used with the preposition for (see the for-to- Infinitive Construction used in the function of a complex object, § 34). Occasionally it occurs with the preposition on or upon (after the verb to rely):

 

I rely on you to come in time.

Я рассчитываю, что вы придете вовремя.

I rely upon you not to go over to the opposition. (Dickens)

Я рассчитываю, что вы не перейдете на сторону противника.

 

The gerund, however, is also possible here.

 

I rely on your coming in time.

Я рассчитываю, что вы придете вовремя.