Semievergänzende

Semievergänzende is a term used in German linguistics to describe a class of clause elements that semantically complete the predicate but are not obligatory arguments. The label signals an intermediate status: these elements contribute essential information about the event or state described by the verb without forming part of the core argument structure required for the sentence to be true.

Typical realizations of semievergänzende elements include adverbial modifiers of manner, degree, or attitude; prepositional phrases expressing instrument, cause, or goal; and certain participial or small-clause constructions attached to the verb phrase. They often answer questions such as how, why, with what means, or under what condition, yet their presence is not strictly required for grammatical well-formedness. Their status is thus between core complements (Ergänzungen) and purely optional adjuncts, depending on the theoretical framework.

In theoretical analyses, semievergänzende elements are used to account for information that clarifies or constrains the event described by a verb without changing its essential participants. Different approaches treat the category differently: some grammars regard them as a distinct type within the clause structure, while others view them as a subset of adjuncts or as contextually licensed modifiers. The concept is particularly discussed in discussions of event structure and lexical semantics, where such elements help specify circumstances of an event.

The term appears most prominently in late 20th-century German linguistics and remains variably defined across theories. See also Ergänzung, Adjunct, and Event structure.