<p>The aim of this study is to analyse the variation between infinitive and finite verb adverbial clauses in European Portuguese. In order to understand this variation, three central questions are raised: (1) What determines the use of the uninflected vs. the inflected infinitive in same-subject adverbial clauses? (2) What does the pronoun SE signal in these adverbial clauses? (3) What difference is there between the use of the inflected infinitives vs. finite verbs in different subject adverbial clauses?</p><p>Earlier investigations about these three questions are discussed. One conclusion of this review is that former research almost exclusively has been conducted from a traditional or formalistic point of view that has given priority to structural descriptions instead of semantic or conceptual explanations. In contrast to this, the present study endeavours to examine these issues from a cognitive linguistic perspective.</p><p>It is claimed that the use of the inflected infinitive in adverbial same-subject clauses may be explained by contextual factors which create a cognitive need to highlight the subject of the adverbial clause. Further, an analysis about how the grammatical micro-context can determine the interpretation of the clitic pronoun SE as a marker for a generic trajector is conducted. It is also argued that the difference between infinitive and finite adverbial clauses can bee explained by means of theories of subjectification and mental spaces.</p><p>The conclusion is drawn that a cognitive approach to grammar can, indeed, shed light on the issues considered. In particular, it is shown that different adverbial constructions can express different conceptual meaning. In the light of this fact, other issues concerned with finite and infinite verb forms are raised.</p>

The aim of this study is to analyse the variation between infinitive and finite verb adverbial clauses in European Portuguese. In order to understand this variation, three central questions are raised: (1) What determines the use of the uninflected vs. the inflected infinitive in same-subject adverbial clauses? (2) What does the pronoun SE signal in these adverbial clauses? (3) What difference is there between the use of the inflected infinitives vs. finite verbs in different subject adverbial clauses? Earlier investigations about these three questions are discussed. One conclusion of this review is that former research almost exclusively has been conducted from a traditional or formalistic point of view that has given priority to structural descriptions instead of semantic or conceptual explanations. In contrast to this, the present study endeavours to examine these issues from a cognitive linguistic perspective. It is claimed that the use of the inflected infinitive in adverbial same-subject clauses may be explained by contextual factors which create a cognitive need to highlight the subject of the adverbial clause. Further, an analysis about how the grammatical micro-context can determine the interpretation of the clitic pronoun SE as a marker for a generic trajector is conducted. It is also argued that the difference between infinitive and finite adverbial clauses can bee explained by means of theories of subjectification and mental spaces. The conclusion is drawn that a cognitive approach to grammar can, indeed, shed light on the issues considered. In particular, it is shown that different adverbial constructions can express different conceptual meaning. In the light of this fact, other issues concerned with finite and infinite verb forms are raised.