Where there is a Message there is a Way: Ku Versus Null in Papiamentu

The present article analyzes the optional occurrence of KU (versus NULL) introducing complement sentences in Papiamentu. It is claimed that the choice between an overt connecting element or NULL is neither syntactically dependent nor arbitrary, but, rather, is independent and communicatively motivated. The difference between the presence versus absence of linguistic material is exploited to suggest the conceptual distance between (or closeness of, respectively) the events introduced in the complementizing and complement clauses. This analysis is supported by quantitative and qualitative data concerning the distribution of KU and NULL in relation to the lexical type of the complementizing verb.