MODELS OF COMPLEMENTATION WITH SPEECH-CAUSATIVE PREDICATES

Abstract

This study examines the choice of complementizers with speech-causative predicates in Bulgarian, focusing specifically on the verb kaža (“say”) as a representative of information-transmitting verbs. An online survey of 127 respondents was conducted to analyze the factors influencing the preference for che or da: communicative role, extralinguistic context, degree of urgency, formality of the situation, and the presence of the modal verb tryabva (“must/should”). The findings indicate that the choice of complementizers used with the verb kaža is shaped by pragmatic, syntactic and semantic parameters. Distinct differences emerge when respondents are divided into two groups based on their educational background: those with philological training demonstrate greater awareness of stylistic nuances. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the interaction between formal and communicative aspects of complementation.