What is a nonfinite verb?

Definition
	A nonfinite verb is a verb that is not fully inflected for categories that are marked inflectionally in a language, such as the following:
	Tense Aspect Modality Number Person

Kind
	Here is a kind of nonfinite verb:
	What is an infinitive?

Generic
	A nonfinite verb is a kind of
	What is a verb? (Linguistics)

Sources
	Hartmann and Stork 1972 153
	Crystal 1980 146
	Palmer 1986 156, 162
	Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, and Svartvik 1985 150

Context for this page:

Concept module: nonfinite verb
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): N
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

© 2004 SIL International