Atlas of Pidgin and Creole Language Structures Online

In this feature (based on WALS feature 124, by Martin Haspelmath), we look at same-subject complement clauses of ‘want’ (e.g. She wants to go home). The main question is whether the ‘want’ complement clause, whose subject is referentially identical with the ‘want’ subject, contains an overt subject pronoun, or is left implicit. Some languages do not use a ‘want’ verb, but instead have a desiderative affix on the verb, or an uninflected adverb-like particle meaning ‘want’.