The Direct Complement Predicate with Perception Verbs in El Conde Lucanor

The first part of Don Juan Manuel's El Conde Lucanor ([Count Lucanor], Blecua, J. M. [Ed], Madrid, 1983) was analyzed for the occurrence of constructions in which predicates realized by perception verbs are accompanied by direct complements. The three particular objectives are to (1) examine the frequency of perception verbs & constructions with direct object in El Conde Lucanor & establish a relationship between the two, (2) perform a descriptive study of clausal structures in which perception predicates are followed by a direct object, & (3) study the formal characteristics of perception predicates with direct objects. It is found that perception predicates with direct objects occur frequently in the work under examination, &, although Spanish perception verbs do not require direct objects, almost all are accompanied by one, & many include a direct object modifier. Z. Dubiel