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Old 06-Jul-2007, 19:25
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Default Re: Grammar problem with "to"

OK. Let's clear this up.

First, about the difference between structural and semantic subjects in passive constructs. The structural subject is the verb's semantic object; the semantic subject is the doer of the verb:

Active: The car hit the dog.
Passive: The dog was hit by the car.

Second, in your example sentence the noun phrase the US government occurs twice:
Native Americans were systematically displaced by (the US government) (in order for the US government) to make room for ...
The phrase US government (i) is the semantic subject of a passive verb, whereas the phrase US government (ii) is the semantic subject of the infinitive to make room for. Now, even though both noun phrases are labelled semantic subjects--thanks to terminology--they do indeed differ semantically. US government (ii) sits in a enviornment that's active in structure, not active in voice, which makes it different from the passive voice semantic subject US government. That is what I meant and still mean by "the semantic subjects are different"... structurally. (Note, my apologies for placing the example in passive voice; i.e., in order that room could be made.)

Third, the infinitive phrase to make room for is a verb underlyingly. It may function as an adverb, but its semantic form is a verb, a transitive verb. At the semantic level it takes a object and a subject. Its object is the phrase room for, its subject is elided. That is, to make room isn't short for in order to make room for, it short for in order for someone to make room for.

Fourth, below the semantic subjects under discussion are structurally the object of the preposition for:
1. The CD had to be listened to (by us) (in order for us) to make sure that it worked.
2. Native Americans were systematically displaced (by the US government) (in order for the US government) to make room for ...
I trust that helps clear up my statement for you. If not, please let me know.

Now, back to the topic. Short and easy: not every verb can undergo passive voice:

Max: (active voice) Who had to listened to the CD?
Sam: (passive voice) But...the CD had to be listened to. <awkward>

The problem with the poster's sentence is passive voice, no matter how you look at it. The sentence is awkward (double to to has nothing to do with it; e.g., homophonous we had listened too to see if it worked.
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