Definition of complementizer in English:
complementizer
(British complementiser)
noun ˈkɒmplɪməntʌɪzəˈkämpləˌmenˌtīzər
Grammar A word or morpheme that marks an embedded clause as functioning as a complement, typically a subordinating conjunction or infinitival to.
Example sentencesExamples
- Note that I had to check all the instances of that by hand, to distinguish the demonstratives from the complementizers.
- The subordinator that introduces a complement clause is sometimes known as a complementizer: for example that in the sentence just cited.
- Why do I think these apparently extra complementizers are a mistake, rather than a non-standard grammatical pattern?
- The option between complementizer that and no complementizer, for another: I think we should go.
- In many logophoric languages, a complementizer of this kind does seem to play an important role in logophoric marking.