The relation between hypotactic integration and complementation in Cognitive Grammar

Objects of perception with the visual perception verb watch can not only be expressed by means of a non-finite complement (Harry watched Sally fetch the vase) but also by means of an as-clause, either in conjunction with a nominal direct object (Harry watched Sally as she fetched the vase) or without (Harry watched as she fetched the vase). The latter two options are traditionally regarded as instances of hypotactic integration but, given the functional similarity with the non-finite pattern, this paper explores, within the Cognitive Grammar framework, to what extent as-clauses may also be described as complements. It is argued that, within the Cognitive Grammar approach, a string such as Sally as she fetched the vase is analyzable as a complement headed by the nominal (Sally) with the as-clause functioning as a modifier and that, in the objectless variant, as she fetched the vase is a complement.