ABSTRACT
Fillmore, C. 1968. The case for case. In E.Bach and R.T.Harms (eds), Linguistic theory. New York. 1-88.
Type of predicate that produces a so-called ‘factive presupposition,’ that is, the speaker (usually) presupposes the truth of the clause depending on the factive predicate, e.g. He is surprised that it is snowing again presupposes It is snowing again. Examples of factive predicates are regret, understand, know, and it is notable/curious/too bad that x. The relation between a fact and its factive predicate is not always straightforward. This is amply evident in the following statement in which the suspect challenges the chief of police: You know, of course, that I murdered him. Contrasting with factive predicates are implicative verbs.
