The accusativus cum infinitivo and quod clauses in the Revelaciones of St. Bridget of Sweden

Abstract: This study is an investigation of the variation between the accusativus cum infinitive (a.c.i.) and quod clauses with verba sentiendi and declarandi in the Revelaciones, Books I-VII, of St. Bridget of Sweden (1303-73). The variation between the quod clauses and the a.c.i. has been emphasized as a characteristic feature of late and mediaeval Latin. The present investigation has uncovered some grammatical patterns which are important or decisive for the choice of construction after governing verbs in the texts of the Revelaciones. These patterns are connected with semantic criteria, such as assertivity, with the category of co-reference and also with stylistic factors (prompted by various kinds of syntactic complexity). These tendencies and preferences are very strong, and we have apparently to do with phenomena that must be regarded as fundamental rules of Bridgettine grammar. The present study also includes an investigation of the use of the moods in quod clauses and the sequence of moods and tenses. Finally a brief survey of the subordinate constructions with verba voluntatis and curandi is included.