Predicative Complements in English and in Spanish

Abstract

This paper discusses the use of predicative complements in English and in Spanish. These complements are defined as phrases which identify a semantic quality of the subject or the direct object of the clause. Current predicatives are those expressing a quality previous to the action denoted by the verb, while resulting predicatives denote a quality derived from the verbal process. Broadly speaking, current predicatives appear both in English and in Spanish with similar syntactic features. On the other hand, resulting predicatives, and, in particular, those which are not obligatory complements, are common to English syntax but rare in Spanish.