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The Use of the Verb Dare in Blends between the Modal and Main Verb Constructions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2016

Patrick Duffley
Patrick Duffley*
Affiliation:
Laval University
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Extract

It is a well-known fact that the verb dare can be used with either modal or main verb characteristics both in its inflection and in its syntax. When used as a modal, it drops the -s ending in the third person singular present indicative (She dare not mention it in his presence), has no imperative, infinitive or participial forms, takes direct negation by not, AUX-inverts in questions (Dare I ask you another question?) and is followed by the bare infinitive. In main verb use, on the other hand, it has all the normal forms of the verb, occurs with do auxiliary in negatives and interrogatives, and is construed with the to infinitive (She doesn’t dare to mention it in his presence).

Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Linguistics/Revue canadienne de linguistique , Volume 37 , Issue 1 , March 1992 , pp. 1 - 16
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Linguistic Association 1992

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