K. A. Timofeev's concept of infinitive sentence in light of activization of Russian syntactic theory in late XX century

The article analyzes the status of infinitive sentences in K. A. Timofeev’s syntactic conception as a unique class of mononuclear sentences in which the infinitive manifests as an independent predicative form accompanied by specific markers of modality, tense and person. Because of their modal characteristics, infinitive sentences can be viewed as special structural-semantic constructions, the specific traits of which are revealed in contrast with different grammatical types of sentences and constructions: with dependent and independent infinitives, with subjective and objective infinitive, in synchrony as well as diachrony. In his works, K. A. Timofeev formulates a methodological vector of studying of syntactic categories, using as an example one of the objects of syntax - the infinitive sentences which have been taken out of the scientific oblivion of the theory of syntactic impersonality. The following article studies the role of infinitive sentences in the system of complex sentences, particularly sentences with clauses of purpose. On the basis of modal characteristics, structural markers and standardized lexical components, two types of complex sentences with clauses of purpose may be distinguished: syntactic and lexical-syntactic. Syntactic types are non-homogeneous in their modal characteristics. Purpose sentences with pronounced modality of purpose-intent may be compared to the variation of the cause-purpose nature, the main marker of which is the presence of modality of necessity in the independent clause, the predicate of which includes the modal words of category of state such as надо, нужно, необходимо ‘necessary’. Purpose sentences of measure and cause-purpose sentences are viewed as a lexical-syntactic variant of complex sentences of purpose. In purpose sentences of measure, the main part is a predicative adverb достаточно ‘enough’ combined with a purpose verb used as a predicate of the independent clause. As an inflective element of the predicate of the independent clause of the cause-purpose sentences, non-purpose verbs with the meaning of apprehension are used: бояться ‘to be afraid’, опасаться ‘to be afraid’, не сметь ‘to not dare’, не решаться ‘to hesitate’. In such cases, the dependent clause is complicated by a meaning of cause. The verb in the dependent clause is accompanied by negation. The usage of a purpose conjunction is possible because the purpose infinitive is used in the independent clause as a connecting element.