昨日の記事「#5633. 形容詞補文として to 不定詞が続く7つのタイプ --- Quirk et al. より」 ([2024-09-28-1]) で「形容詞 + to 不定詞」の様々なパターンを確認しました．7タイプへの区分はかなり細かいものですが，ここでは Fischer et al. に従い，大雑把粗に2タイプに区分しましょう．標題にあるとおり，eager-to-please 構文と easy-to-please 構文の2種類です (170--71) ．
In the so-called eager-to-please construction in (22a), the main clause subject functions also as agent-argument of the infinitive. In the easy-to-please construction, the main clause subject corresponds to the patient-argument of the infinitive. The easy-to-please construction is therefore somewhat reminiscent of the modal passive . . . expressing a passive-like meaning without passive marking.
(22) a [Eager-to-please construction]
Andropulos was a bit reluctant to go (BNC)
b [Easy-to-please construction]
He was lying in wait in the hallway, where he was impossible to overlook (BNC)
いずれの構文も歴史は古く，すでに古英語より文証されます (171) ．
Both the eager-to-please construction and the easy-to-please construction were already available in OE, as shown in (24) and (25), respectively. . . .
(24) ic eom gearo to gecyrrenne to munuclicere drohtnunge
I am ready to turn to monastic way-of-life (ÆCHom.I,35 484.251)
'I am ready to turn to a monastic way of life.'
(25) ðis me is hefi to donne
This to-me is heavy to do (Mart.5(Kotzor)Se.16,A.14)
'This is hard for me to do.'
おもしろいのは，前者の eager-to-please 構文は，古英語から安定的に文証されるのですが，後に法的な意味を帯びて，準助動詞へ発展したものが出てきていることです．Fischer et al. より続けて引用します (171) ．
The eager-to-please construction has been essentially stable throughout the history of the language. It is interesting to note, however, that some adjectives in the construction developed into modal markers. A straightforward example is bound, originally meaning 'under a binding obligation' but now typically used to mark epistemic necessity.
ここでは be bound to の例が示唆されていますが，ほかの箇所では be sure to や be certain to にも言及があります．昨日の記事の内容とあわせて，味わっていただければ．
・ Fischer, Olga, Hendrik De Smet, and Wim van der Wurff. A Brief History of English Syntax. Cambridge: CUP, 2017.
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