layout: relation title: ‘xcomp’ shortdef: ‘open clausal complement’ udver: ‘2’ —
The xcomp relation is used for clausal complements, but unlike ccomp lack an explicit subject. The reference of the subject is determined by an argument external to the xcomp clause, which means that the clause inherits its subject from higher up in the tree. It is used in infinitive constructions with a predicative marker kà.
# visual-style 3 6 xcomp color:blue
# visual-style 3 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 3 fgColor:white
# visual-style 6 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 6 fgColor:white
1 ne _ PRON _ _ 3 nsubj _ _
2 bè _ AUX _ _ 3 aux _ _
3 se _ VERB _ _ 0 root _ _
4 ka _ AUX _ _ 6 aux _ _
5 o _ PRON _ _ 6 obj _ _
6 kè _ VERB _ _ 3 xcomp _ _
7 . _ PUNCT _ _ 3 punct _ _
‘I can do it’.
The infinitival construction can also express sequential or purpose meaning, which semantically is not proper for core argument, but as a construction is the same, we decided to annotate it as xcomp as well.
# visual-style 2 5 xcomp color:blue
# visual-style 5 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 5 fgColor:white
# visual-style 2 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 2 fgColor:white
1 syèdennin syɛdennin NOUN _ _ 2 nsubj _ _
2 yèlènna yɛlɛnna VERB _ _ 0 root _ _
3 ka kà AUX _ _ 5 aux _ _
4 lenburusun lenburusun NOUN _ _ 5 obj _ _
5 yuguyugu yúguyugu VERB _ _ 2 xcomp _ _
6 . . PUNCT _ _ 2 punct _ _
‘A chicken climbed a lemon tree and shook it’.