Datapoint Papiamentu/Complementizer with verbs of speaking
Van Putte & Garcia (1990) discuss the complementizer-taking preferences of different classes of verbs, based on their occurences in a collection of literary texts. They distinguish between verbs that occur only or mostly with a complement clause introduced by complementizer ku, those with null complementizer, and those which allow both. They assign bisa 'say' to the class of verbs that allow both, while puntra 'ask' is in the class of verbs which occur with the overt complementizer ku, and pidi 'ask, request' prefers a null-complement. They do not, however, distinguish between different modalities. It appears that indicative mood normally requires a ku-complement, with the exception of the complement of bisa or di 'say', where ku is optional.
Kouwenberg & Lefebvre (2007) point out that ku introduces the complement clauses of propositional verbs; these include not only verbs of speaking such as bisa ‘to say’, but also psychological verbs such as realisá ‘to understand’,
sa ‘to know’.
Values 
Complementizer not synchronically related to ‘say’
Frequency: 70.0%
- Example 47-193:
-
No ta asina ku bo por bisa ku mi tin un kolekshon di sombré.Nonegtacopasinathuskucompbo2sgporcanbisasaykucompmi1sgtinhaveunindfkolekshoncollectiondiofsombré.hatYou can't really say that I have a hat collection.
Source: nd: 16 July 2009, p.4
- Example 47-194:
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Hendenan ku ta biba a lo largu di Kaya Korona ta puntra nan mes ku si no tin polis mas riba kaya ku ta mira e kosnan aki sosodé.Hendepersonnanplkucomptatnsbibalivea-lo-larguarounddiofKayaKayaKoronaKoronatatnspuntraasknan3plmesreflkucompsiifnonegtinhavepolispolicemasmoreribaonkayastreetkucomptatnsmiraseeedefkosthingnanplakidem.proxsosodé.happenPeople who live around Kaya Korona are asking themselves whether there aren't any police officers on the streets anymore who see these things happen.
Source: nd: 10 July 2009, p.3
- Example 47-195:
-
Asta tabatin fanátiko ku tabata grita ku mester but e organisashon di rèfrinan pa esaki.Astaeventaba-tinpst-havefanátikofanatickucomptabatapstgritashoutkucompmestermustbutfineedeforganisashonorganisationdiofrèfrirefereenanplpafores(un)-aki.one-dem.proxThere were even some fanatics who were shouting that the organisation of referees should be fined for this.
Source: nd: 10 July 2009, p.10
- Confidence:
- Very certain
No complementizer
Frequency: 30.0%
- Example 47-196:
-
E ta bisa e suegu e ta bai pos bai laba paña.E3sgtatnsbisasayedefsuegufather-in-lawe3sgtatnsbaigoposwellbaigolabawashpaña.clothesShe says to her father-in-law she is going to the well to wash the clothes.
Source: Van Putte and García 1990: 206
- Confidence:
- Very certain