| The study of verb in English is indispensable to the research on grammar. The non-finite form, which is distinct from its counterpart finite form, of the verb is a common optional syntactic representation of the verb in English. Whether the verb is represented in the non-finite form or in the finite form depends on the syntactic option and preference. In this respect, the syntactically opted non-finite verb mirrors the semantic relationship from the base semantic framework onto the syntactic representation. The semantic framework that is multi-propositional rather than mono-propositional generates the potentiality for the non-finiteness in the verb. The complex multi-propositional representation calls for a systematic study, for some linguistic regularity is embodied in the non-finiteness in the verb. The aim of this study is to systematically delve into the linguistic regularities characteristic of the non-finite verb structure in English from the cognitive perspective. Due to the different perspectives, the research that has been conducted on the English non-finite verb seems unsystematic and rather skin-deep. Even some research is anything but cognition-oriented. Based on the previous research, this study aims to systematically look into the structure of the English non-finite verb in order to scrutinize the linguistic rules underlying the English non-finite verb. This study is mainly concerned with the characteristics of the syntactic representation in the non-finite verb structure, the semantic relationship, the mechanism of the logical subject, the phase construction and some essential conceptions that are conventionally constructed in the non-finite verb in English.In English, the non-finite verb structure, which is a conventionalized syntactic construction, reflects the related semantic mapping onto the syntactic representation from the semantic proposition. The non-finite verb is syntactically structured as a syntactic category, be it an argument of a clause or an adjunct to the clause, according to the conventionalized categorization in the syntactic structure which filters the relevant semantic mapping projected from the related semantic framework in question. The conceptualization and categorization, which symbolizes the syntactic adaptation in the non-finite verb structure via the semantic mapping from the language user’s calculation of the base proposition, in the English non-finite verb structure are closely connected with linguistic cognition. In terms of the semantic-based principle, the English non-finite verb structure reflects the logical computation of the semantic framework. The syntactic representation reflects the related semantic framework though it, to a certain extent, does not necessarily duplicate its semantic source. The syntactic structure of the non-finite verb in English does not exist in a vacuum. The non-finite verb structure iconically mirrors the semantic framework from which the semantic relationship is mapped. The English non-finite verb structure is based on its relevant predication in the form of the proposition. The subordination in the minor predication is embodied in the non-finite verb structure. The semantic mapping symbolizes the non-finiteness by virtue of the conventionalization of its syntactic structure in light of subordination, which keeps the semantic relationship intact. The relationship between the predicate and its arguments provides the semantically cognitive foundation for the syntactic representation of the voice. As the core of the propositional representation in language, the verb has the most salient argument opted for its syntactical subject in the finite form or its logical subject in the non-finite form. As far as the non-finite verb in English is concerned, it is the option for the logical subject among the arguments related to the predicate that launches a cognitive ranking of subjectivity. The potentiality or nullification of the passive voice in the non-finite verb structure lies in the syntactical mechanism of the logical subject. In this sense, the semantic ranking of the multi-propositional framework is correspondently embodied in the syntactic categorization of the predicates and their respective arguments. In brief, the logical subject belongs to the scope of the non-finiteness. The configuration of the logical subject in the non-finite verb structure finds the semantic calculation as the core of the structure. The linguistic phenomenon that the syntactic representation of the non-finite verb structure does not conflict with its semantic relationship in the predication indicates that the voice system at the syntactical level conforms with its semantic relationship between the predicate and its arguments. In other words, the active voice of the non-finite verb structure is deeply rooted in the agent argument instead of the patient argument. The iconicity in the syntactic representation, which does not stray away from the semantic framework, descends from the semantic mapping onto the syntactic structure. It is self-evident that the conceptualization from our cognition of the world around us maps the correspondent semantic framework onto the syntactic representation.The temporal relationship is an indispensable ingredient to the verb in language. Although the tense is lost in the non-finite verb, temporality is not ruled out but represented in a different way. The semantic feature of temporality in the predicate is syntactically represented or symbolized in the non-finite verb structure in a variety of ways in which the cognitive conventionalization takes root. A variety of temporality in the non-finite verb is embodied in the limited non-finite forms so that the identical morphologically inflectionalized non-finite forms may extend the scope of temporality or beyond. The emphasis version based on its relevant base version pragmatically highlights a certain temporal relationship by means of ruling out the ambiguity in the same non-finite form. In this sense, the base version of phase serves as the cognititve foundation for the emphasis version, which makes possible the extension of the temporal sense that is characteristic of the temporal prototypicality. The temporal referentiality is characterstic of the temporal relationship in the non-finite verb structure. In terms of the temporal referentiality, the temporal relationship is related rather than isolated. To some extent, there is a certain cogntitive inertia in syntactic representation:the convergence between the emphasis version and the base version versus the divergence of the fossilized version from the base version. The emphasis version of the temporal relationship highlights its base version while the fossilized version is deviant from the base version. In this respect, there is a great difference between the emphasis version and the fossilized version in the course of the syntactic evolution of the temporal relationship.There are some conceptualized senses underlying the English non-finite verb structure. Once some structure of the English non-finite verb is conventionalized, the abstract characteristics that are embodied in the English non-finite verb play a vital role in linguistic cognition. In addition to subordination, there exists argumentation, adjunction, prototypicality, and metaphoricality in the English non-finite verb. The syntactic senses may act respectively or interact jointly. For one thing, the time referentiality in the minor predication greatly determines the phase conceptualization in the non-finite verb. For another, the semantic framework characteristic of action generates the concept of agentivity that has a cognitive effect on the voice option in event-oriented and fuction-oriented non-finite verb structures. Even the idiomaticity does not rule out the conventionalization in the English non-finite verb. In this sense, the basic concepts in the English non-finite verb are not isolated but associated as well as interactive. The powerful conceptualized representation in the English non-finite verb structure illustrates that the protptypicality in conceptualization of the non-finiteness lays a solid semantic foundation for the idiomatic non-finite verb structure and leads to the plausibility in the idiomatic non-finite verb structure.This study has accordingly come to the conclusion that the non-finite verb structure in English is characteristic of the syntactic adaptation to represent the dependency in the predicate that is semantically projected from the correlated semantic framework. In other words, the non-finite verb structure in English, which reflects the cognitive competence and performance in the language user, has the semantic framework as its cornerstone laid for the syntactic representation. It goes without saying that the non-finite verb structure, which is not borne at random but conventionally structured via the syntactic adaptation to the semantic computation, is deeply rooted in conceptualization and categorization in terms of the non-finiteness in the verb. To some extent, the non-finite verb structure in English exemplifies the universality that language structure is syntactically diverse but semantically unique. The non-finite verb structure in English is semantically framed and syntactically mirrored. The semantic relationship in the predication determines the relevant syntactic representation of the English non-finite verb structure. |
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