A complementary verb may have a direct object:
MISERIS AUXILIUM DARE DEBEMUS
When you have a complementary infinitive and you have a direct object
does the direct object always go with the complementary verb (DARE) automatically or is it possible for it to go with DEBEMUS?Could somebody give an example if it does?
The nature of a complementary infinitive is that it completes the verb that it follows. So:
debemus = we ought
—>by itself, debemus doesn’t have a complete meaning - rather, it needs another verb (in the form of the infinitive) to help it make sense. Until then, we still ask “we ought to do what?”
debemus dare = we ought to give
—>now, debemus is complete, but dare needs something to help it make sense: namely, a direct object and an indirect object. Until we provide these, we still can ask, “we ought to give what? to whom?”
debemus dare miseris auxilium = we ought to give help to the unfortunate
By its very nature, the object goes with the complementary infinitive–NOT the verb on which that infinitive depends. Why is this? First, there’s a good grammatical reason, namely, that the complementary infinitive (here, dare) functions like an object for the first verb, limiting and explaining that verb (here, debemus).
Second, since most verbs that take complementary infinitives have to do with limiting or explaining the circumstances of the verbal action, they aren’t generally very active in themselves–many of them can’t take a direct object anyway. To explain, they often indicate whether the action can or can’t be done, whether the subject is willing or unwilling to do the action, whether the action is beginning or ending, etc.
Here are a few that come to mind .
possum - to be able to
desino - to stop
incipio - to begin
volo - to to be willing
nequeo - to be unable to
desidero - to desire
cupio - to desire
opto - to choose
(Or consult the list I posted a few months ago, found at the bottom of this thread: http://discourse.textkit.com/t/direct-object-of-the-complementary-verb/5283/13)
Many of these verbs are found seldom, if ever, without a complementary infinitive. Some of them, however, can be used both with and without a complementary infinitive. It is only when they do NOT have a complementary infinitive that they can have a direct object. Consider our friend debemus.
debemus dare miseris pecuniam = we ought to give money to the unfortunate money
debemus miseris pecuniam = we owe money to the unfortunate
Note that debeo’s original meaning is “to owe.” It is used this way in the second sentence, in which it takes a direct object, auxilium. In the first sentence, however, it means “ought,” and takes a complementary infinitive.
I hope this explanation is clear. It is certainly long-winded.