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factive

factive

1 9.9
Describing a verb that shows the next statement is true
  • adjective
  • /ˈfæktɪv/
  • Specialized
: factivas
  • A factive verb implies that the information following it is accurate, such as in the phrase 'She knows that the sky is blue.'

Examples

  • When he claims to know the answer, he makes a factive statement that assumes the answer is true.

  • OK, so you get the classical theory and we say factive H by~ which is controlled essentially by one over north goes to zero.

  • In discussing belief systems, it's important to recognize that some verbs, like 'realize,' are factive and therefore indicate truth.

Surface Forms

factive positive

Morphology

factive = fact (semi-transparent) = fact + ive

Formed by 'fact' + the adjectival suffix '-ive'; the composition is clear but the precise linguistic sense ('implying truth') is specialized vocabulary.

Etymology

Factive comes from the same root as the word fact, and from facere meaning 'to make'. So a factive verb 'makes' what follows into a fact by treating the next idea as true.