An RRG approach to French complementation patterns

The aim of this paper is, in the framework of rrg (Van Valin & La Polla 1997; Van Valin 2005), to propose some operator constraints on the logical structure of complement taking predicates in French, in particular the class of propositional attitude (BELIEVE class, croire) and that of volition (WANT class,vouloir). To approach the complementation patterns of these classes requires the treatment of the different syntactic structures (infinitival core coordination/clause subordination) and modal opposition (indicative/subjunctive) in a unifying way. The present paper argues that specification of the operators in the logical structure allows the prediction of the correct syntactic structures and the appropriate selection of mood to each class of verbs.