Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31724/rihjj.51.2.7
The Semantic and Syntactic Potential of Past Participles as Participial Adjectives
Iva Nazalević Čučević
orcid.org/0000-0003-0650-4851
; Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Irena Zovko Dinković
orcid.org/0000-0002-5576-2489
; Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Abstract
The analysis of the syntactic and semantic status of constructions with non-finite verb forms is a current topic of syntactic research in the Croatian language (cf. Belaj and Tanacković Faletar 2020, Zovko Dinković and Nazalević Čučević 2024). Based on the given criteria (cf. ibid.), the paper discusses the predicative, secondary predicative, and modificational status of past participles as participial adjectives. The paper approaches the problem from the perspective of verbal voice. Starting from the active construction, we analyze the morphosyntactic and semantic changes (cf. Polančec 2015a) in constructions with participial adjectives with negative meanings, e.g. exhausted, destroyed, shaken, disappointed, injured, positive meanings, e.g. surprised, delighted, delighted, rewarded, and neutral meanings, e.g. written, painted, proposed, removed, to determine their syntactic and semantic potential. We conclude the analysis by providing an overview of non-finite adverbial clauses with participial adjectives, and by extending the list of criteria by which the predicative function of the participial adjective is distinguished from its secondary predicative or modifying function, thereby improving and refining the initial approach of Belaj and Tanacković Faletar (2020). Based on our examples, we show that negative and positive participial adjectives have a greater potential than neutral ones in expressing circumstantial meaning.
Keywords
verbal voice; (de)processualization; past participles as participial adjectives; non-finite complement clauses; predicate, secondary predicate; modifier, Croatian
Hrčak ID:
343312
URI
Publication date:
31.1.2026.
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