Syntax Nouns

7/28/2019 Syntax Nouns

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1 NOUNSNOUNS2

Properties of nounsProperties of nouns

Number: Singular/ PluralNumber: Singular/ Plural

GenderGender

CaseCase

3 Premodification in NPPremodification in NP NP is an endocentric phrase with a noun as a headword.NP is an endocentric phrase with a noun as a headword.

It can consist of:It can consist of:

-- only headword,only headword,-- determiners and headword;determiners and headword;

-- determiners, premodifiers and headword;determiners, premodifiers and headword;

-- determiner, premodifier, headword and postmodifierdeterminer, premodifier, headword and postmodifier

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The Head has the most important semantic information in the phraThe Head has the most important semantic information in the phrase.se.

The word class of the head determines the word class of the entiThe word class of the head determines the word class of the entire phrase.re phrase.

Heads are normally obligatory.Heads are normally obligatory.

The head has the same distribution as the entire phrase, head plThe head has the same distribution as the entire phrase, head plus dependents.us dependents.

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Heads select the dependent phrases of a particular word class; tHeads select the dependent phrases of a particular word class; these phrases arehese phrases are

sometimes obligatory.sometimes obligatory.

Heads often require their dependents to agree with some or all oHeads often require their dependents to agree with some or all of the grammaticalf the grammatical

features of the head (agreement).features of the head (agreement).

Heads may require their dependent NPs to occur in particular graHeads may require their dependent NPs to occur in particular grammatical case.mmatical case.

6 Head dependentsHead dependents -- determinersdeterminers::There are six classes of determiners:There are six classes of determiners:

indefinite articleindefinite articlea, ana, an

definite articledefinite articlethethe

possessivespossessivesmy, your, hismy, your, hisetc.etc.

interrogativesinterrogativeswhosewhose,, whichwhichetc.etc.

indefinite adjectivesindefinite adjectivessome, any, nosome, any, no/ quantitative/ quantitativeevery, each, either, neitherevery, each, either, neither

demonstrative adjectivesdemonstrative adjectivesthis/that, these/those.this/that, these/those.

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Determiners are paired only with nouns and do not occur with othDeterminers are paired only with nouns and do not occur with oth er word classes.er word classes.

They do not have the same distribution as adjectives; they alwayThey do not have the same distribution as adjectives; they always occur at the beginning of a nouns occur at the beginning of a noun

phrase in English.phrase in English.

It is often argued in modern linguistics that the class of deterIt is often argued in modern linguistics that the class of determiners includes pronouns, e.g.miners includes pronouns, e.g. weweoror she.she.

Pronouns do not occur with determiners but can replace them, e.gPronouns do not occur with determiners but can replace them, e.g..


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We/usWe/us linguists arenlinguists arent stupidt stupid. (. (TheseTheselinguistslinguists......

The/aThe/acannot occur alone, but some other determiners can, e.g.:cannot occur alone, but some other determiners can, e.g.:

These/thoseThese/those_________ are good._________ are good.

IIll givell givesomesome________ to Lee.________ to Lee.

IIll givell givethis/thatthis/that__________ away.__________ away. ThereforeTherefore,, some linguists propose that noun phrases are in fact determinersome linguists propose that noun phrases are in fact determiner phrases.phrases.

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Some units can function asSome units can function aspredeterminerspredeterminers, before articles and demonstratives, called, before articles and demonstratives, called

quantifiersquantifiersallall,, halfhalfandand bothboth..

As such they do not occur with quantitative determiners likeAs such they do not occur with quantitative determiners like every, each, some, any, noevery, each, some, any, no..

Second type of predeterminers includes:Second type of predeterminers includes: double, twice, three timesdouble, twice, three timesetc., e.g.etc., e.g. double their salaries;double their salaries;

twice his strength, three times this amounttwice his strength, three times this amountetc.etc.

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Some structures follow determiners but precede adjectives in theSome structures follow determiners but precede adjectives in the premodification structure.premodification structure.

They includeThey include numeralsnumeralsandand quantifiersquantifiersand they are calledand they are calledpostdeterminerspostdeterminers, e.g., e.g. the two blue carsthe two blue cars

belong to me; the first three planes were American.belong to me; the first three planes were American.

Next, last, another, additionalNext, last, another, additionalcan also function as postdeterminers as they resemble the numercan also function as postdeterminers as they resemble the numeralsals

grammatically and semantically.grammatically and semantically.

10 PremodifiersPremodifiers::Units which can function as premodifiers:Units which can function as premodifiers:

Adjective (Phrase):Adjective (Phrase): I wrote aI wrote aniceniceletterletter..

Participles:Participles: HisHiswrittenwrittenresignation was on the table.resignation was on the table.

's genitive:'s genitive: I visited myI visited mymother'smother'sfriendfriend..

Noun (Phrase):Noun (Phrase): He completed hisHe completed hisschoolschooltaskstasks..

Adverbs(Adverbials):Adverbs(Adverbials): He visited someHe visited somefarfar--awayawaycountries.countries. Prepositional Phrase (in set expressions):Prepositional Phrase (in set expressions): upup--toto--thethe--minuteminutereportreport

Infinitive clause:Infinitive clause: He is aHe is awellwell--toto--dodobankerbanker..

Sentence:Sentence: He askedHe askedI don't know how manyI don't know how manypeople.people.

11 MultipleMultiple premodificationpremodification::with single headwith single head:: his brilliant book; his last bookhis brilliant book; his last book >> his last brilliant book.his last brilliant book.

with multiple headwith multiple head::

the newthe newtables and chairstables and chairs

with modified modifierwith modified modifier::

thethesmall officesmall officefurniture.furniture.

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Discontinuous modificationDiscontinuous modification

interruption of a noun phrase by other items of the clause strucinterruption of a noun phrase by other items of the clause structureturediscontinuousdiscontinuous

modificationmodification

e.g.e.g. You'll meet a manYou'll meet a mantomorrowtomorrowcarrying a heavy parcel.carrying a heavy parcel.

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Functions of Noun Phrase: SubjectFunctions of Noun Phrase: Subject SubjectSubjectdoer of the action; all units which assume nominal functions.doer of the action; all units which assume nominal functions.


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subject is normally a noun phrase or a clause with nominal functsubject is normally a noun phrase or a clause with nominal function;ion;

occurs before the verb phrase in declarative clauses and immediaoccurs before the verb phrase in declarative clauses and immedia tely after the operator intely after the operator in

questions;questions;

has a number and person concord, where applicable, with the verbhas a number and person concord, where applicable, with the verb phrase.phrase.

14 Units functioning as subject:Units functioning as subject:

Noun Phrase (NP) e.g.Noun Phrase (NP) e.g.A wellA well--known jazz playerknown jazz playerwas killed last night.was killed last night.

Nominal clause, e.g.Nominal clause, e.g.That she likes poetryThat she likes poetryis unbelievable.is unbelievable.

NonNon--finite clause, e.g.finite clause, e.g. Driving on the leftDriving on the left is obligatory.is obligatory.

Adjective phrase (Adj.P) e.g.Adjective phrase (Adj.P) e.g.The very bestThe very best is yet to come.is yet to come.

Prepositional phrase (PP) e.g.Prepositional phrase (PP) e.g. Up the hillUp the hill is where he lives.is where he lives.

15 Semantic roles of subject:Semantic roles of subject: a)a) agentive;agentive; the animate being is causing the happening denoted by the verb:the animate being is causing the happening denoted by the verb:John wrote aJohn wrote a

letter.letter.

b)b) instrumentalinstrumental; expresses generally inanimate material cause of an event:; expresses generally inanimate material cause of an event: The key openedThe key openedthe door.the door.

c)c) affectedaffected; usually with intransitive verbs, it does not cause the happeni; usually with intransitive verbs, it does not cause the happening denoted by ang denoted by a

verb but is involved into it:verb but is involved into it:John fell down.John fell down.

d)d) recipientrecipient; usually with verbs such as; usually with verbs such as havehave, o, owwn,n,possesspossess,, benefitbenefit(from); perceptive verbs:(from); perceptive verbs:

seesee,, hear, e.g. John owns this house.hear, e.g. John owns this house.

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e)e) locative;locative; denoting place, e.g.denoting place, e.g. The room is bigThe room is big..

f)f) temporaltemporal; denoting time, e.g.; denoting time, e.g. The time is outThe time is out..

g)g) eventiveeventive; denoting arrangements or activities, usually in intensive comp; denoting arrangements or activities, usually in intensive complementationlementation

with time adverbials, e.g.with time adverbials, e.g. Her birthday party was greatHer birthday party was great.. h)h) emptyempty--itit; a subject may lack semantic content and consist only of the me; a subject may lack semantic content and consist only of the meaninglessaningless

word it, especially with climatic predications, e.g.word it, especially with climatic predications, e.g. It is important for her to come on time.It is important for her to come on time.

17 Syntactic role of subject: concord/agreementSyntactic role of subject: concord/agreement

Subjects in English control subject/verb agreement: verbs and auSubjects in English control subject/verb agreement: verbs and auxiliariesxiliaries change in formchange in form

to match orto match or agreeagreewith particular features of the subject, such aswith particular features of the subject, such as person and numberperson and number,,

e.g.e.g.

This woman buys all the best applesThis woman buys all the best apples..

Subjects are defined by their syntactic properties, not by theirSubjects are defined by their syntactic properties, not by their semantic roles.semantic roles.

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The second test forThe second test for subjecthoodsubjecthood in English involves casein English involves case--marking.marking.

PronounsPronouns have a special form in English which is restricted to the subjechave a special form in English which is restricted to the subject position.t position.

This testThis test is appropriate for the subject of a verb (or auxiliary) that isis appropriate for the subject of a verb (or auxiliary) that is finite, such asfinite, such as lovesloves

(present tense) or(present tense) or tastedtasted(past tense)(past tense), e.g., e.g. SheShe(not *(not *herher)) loves applesloves apples..

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Case means that the form of a noun phrase or a pronoun changes aCase means that the form of a noun phrase or a pronoun changes according to itsccording to its

grammatical relationgrammatical relation..

20 Define the semantic type of subject:Define the semantic type of subject: Peter surprised them with his story.Peter surprised them with his story.

The party will take place on Saturday.The party will take place on Saturday.


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The summer will be very hot this year.The summer will be very hot this year.

YesterdayYesterdays news really upset me.s news really upset me.

The regeneration of runThe regeneration of run--down inner city area sometimes leads to a great demand fordown inner city area sometimes leads to a great demand for

housing.housing.

Winter mornings often turn out to be fine and sunny.Winter mornings often turn out to be fine and sunny.

21 Noun Phrase PatternNoun Phrase Pattern ((a)a) a white dress with a dropped waistlinea white dress with a dropped waistline

(b)(b) the east gate of the parkthe east gate of the park

(c)(c) those large paintings by Renoirthose large paintings by Renoir

(d)(d) the rather frightening bats under the eavesthe rather frightening bats under the eaves

(e)(e) a tall, bald man with a bushy moustachea tall, bald man with a bushy moustache

(f)(f) a long vacation on the Caribbean island of Trinidad or Jamaicaa long vacation on the Caribbean island of Trinidad or Jamaica

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(g)(g) his most recent, very provocative novelhis most recent, very provocative novel

(h)(h) your very much deserved success in your careeryour very much deserved success in your career

(i)(i) a very long and boring modern novela very long and boring modern novel

(j)(j) the weather in Vancouver on any given day in winterthe weather in Vancouver on any given day in winter

(k)(k) the high wooden fence around our yardthe high wooden fence around our yard

(l)(l) a serious conversation with Sharon about her problemsa serious conversation with Sharon about her problems

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(m)(m) a loaf of nice fresh brown breada loaf of nice fresh brown bread

(n)(n) the eightthe eight--yearyear--old boy who attempted to rob a sweet shopold boy who attempted to rob a sweet shop..

(o)(o) that attractive young woman in the blue dress sitting over therethat attractive young woman in the blue dress sitting over there in the cornerin the corner

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Syntax Nouns