Imperativus pro infinitivo explained

Imperativus pro infinitivo (IPI) is a syntactic feature in which a verbal form superficially resembling the imperative mood is realized, instead of the expected infinitive.

The imperativus pro infinitivo is a feature of, for example, the Frisian languages.

• North Frisian (Mooring): Northern Frisian: Ik häi änjörsne niinj lust än mååg seelew wat tu ääsen klåår.
• Sater Frisian: Ik hiede jêrsene neen lûst on moakje selwen wet to iten kloar.
• West Frisian: Western Frisian: Ik hie juster gjin nocht en meitsje sels wat te iten klear.

The sentences read in English: 'Yesterday I did not feel like making dinner myself'.

Further reading

• Hoekema . Teake B. . 1971 . Sentences with imperativus pro infinitivo . Us Wurk . 20 . 1–4 . 61–74 . 30 July 2024.
• Hoekema . Teake B. . 1975 . Sentences with imperativus pro infinitivo II. Us Wurk . 24 . 1–4 . 35–48 . 30 July 2024.
• van der Meer . Geart . 1975 . The imperativus pro infinitivo reconsidered . Us Wurk . 24 . 1–4 . 19–34 . 30 July 2024.
• van der Meer . Geart . 1989 . The so-called imperativus pro infinitivo (IPI) in West Frisian: On the interplay of syntax, semantics and morphology . NOWELE . 13 . 49–85 . 10.1075/nowele.13.06mee. 30 July 2024.