Structure of Predication 2

8/3/2019 Structure of Predication 2

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Structure of Predication

Meeting 5


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Some administrative matters

Have U visited the blog and contributed

something?

If no, youd better start soon.


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The basic structure of structure of

predication is:

Subject + Predicate

But is it always like this?

What do you think?


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The subject and predicate can be either ofthe following:

- a single word

- a word with accompanying functionwords

- a phrase, or

- one of the syntactic structures:modification, complementation, orcoordination


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Specifically the subject can be a structureof predication also which is defined asincluded clause

The predicate consists of a verb and averb phrase in key position

Examples:

- Money talks- Courtesy always pays

- The sun sets in the west


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A predicate can be filled by a structure of

complementation, such as:

- the snow was cold

- The clerk sold me the shirt

- My neighbour painted his house green

A predicate can also consist of a structure of

coordination, such as:- We walked and talked

- People either like this place or hate it


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So we can temporarily conclude that:

predicate has verb component in it either

as a single verb though seldom or a moreor less complex structure with the verb at

its core or the heart of the matter.


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Thus it needs to be clearly known that VERB isclassified into seven heads:

- person

- tense- phase

- aspect

- mode

- voice, and

- status


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In terms of person, verb can be classified

in common and third singular. Examples:

the man walks, he feels, this looks good,

the tall man in the car drives, eating candy

causes tooth decay, what I want costs

money, either his mistakes or his bad luck

keeps him poor.


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In terms of Tense, there are two tenses:

common (present) and past (preterit).

They are shown by the inflexion attached

to the verbs: Common: base / base + (-s),

while Past: (base + (-ed).

The be has its exceptional forms (is, am,

are: present and was, were: past)


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In terms of Phase, there are two phases:

simple and perfect (have + past participle

verb). Examples:

- I speak vs I have spoken

- We work vs We have worked


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In terms of Aspect, there are three:

- simple: the verb is unmarked

- durative: be + base+ing- inchoative: get+ present participle


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In terms of Mode, it can be seen from:

- the modal auxiliaries + base form: must

go, may come, should see,etc., and- certain other auxiliaries + infinitive

(to+base form): used to study, ought to

come, have to go, etc.


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In terms of Voice, there are two voices: Active

and passive voices. Passive is formed by the

aux. be + past participle verb or get+ past

participle verb.Examples:

- He kills he is killed/He gets killed

- They built a house A house was built

- We have done the work The work has been

done


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Can you analyze these two?

- The man was informed by his wife

- The man was informed about politics


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In terms of status, verbs has four statues:

affirmative, interrogative, negative, and

negative interrogative. Examples:

- He is working He works

- He is not working He does not work

- Is he working? Does he work?- Isnt he working? Doesnt he work?


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Whats the difference between

Doesnt he work? And

Does he not work?


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Functions in the Verb Phrase (VP)

Head: V

Dependents:

Pre-head modifier:AdvP

Post-head modifier:AdvP/PP

(Post-head) complement:

NP/PP/AdvP/clause


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S

Subject:NP Tense:AUX Predicate:VP

The boy has run very quickly

head:V PtHdMod:AdvP

S

Subject:NP Tense:AUX Predicate:VP

The boy has very quickly run

PrHdMod: AdvP V


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Types of Complement in the VP

Direct Object: NP

Indirect Object: NP

Prepositional Phrase Complement (PPC): PP

Subject Predicative Complement (PCS): NP/AdjP

Object Predicative Complement (PCO): NP/AdjP

Post-head modifiers in VP are often referred to as adjuncts


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Direct Object (DO) Function in VP

The direct object function is filled by NP

The dogs chased the cats.

If the direct object is a pronoun, the pronoun is in

Accusative case form.

The dogs chased them. (*they)

In basic sentences, the direct object NP comes

immediately after the verb

*The dogs chased [quickly] them.

Exception: if there is also an indirect object NP

The boy bought [the girl]an icecream.


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Unlike PP complements in NPs and AdjPs the direct

object (DO) NP is usually obligatory in English

The boydiscoveredthe treasure.

The boydiscoveredit.

*The boydiscovered.

The discovery ofthe treasure

The discovery


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Indirect Object (IO) function in VP

Indirect object (IO) function is only filled by NP

IO follows V and precedes DO

Igave my brother [a new bicycle].

The IO pronoun is Accusative (or Reflexive)

Accusative IO Ibakedhim a cake

Reflexive IO Ibakedmyselfa cake


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Preposition Phrase Complement in VP

(PPC)

a PP may fill a complement function in a VP

It may be the only complement

John relies on his friend. It may follow an NP (DO) complement

John put [the book] on the table.

As with PP complements in an NP or AdjP, the

choice of preposition is restricted by the verb. relies on/*in/*from; believes in/*on/*about


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Subjective Predicative Complement (PCS)

PCS is filled by NP or by AdjP

PCS comes directly after the verb

The PCS describes an attribute or property of thereferent of the subject NP

Compare:

The man sawa doctor. (DO) The man became a doctor. (PCS)

*The man saw very clever. (DO)

Th

e man bec

ame very clever. (PCS)


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Another property of PCS

If the PCS is a NP, it normally agrees with the subjectNP

The gentleman is a lawyer.

The gentlemen are lawyers.

*The gentleman is lawyers.

*The gentlemen are a lawyer.

Only a limited set of verbs take an NP as PCS: be, become, seem, look, resemble...


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Tests to distinguish PCS from DO

Test 1 - Substitution

Marjorie looked a fright.

PCS can be NP or AdjP.

DO can only be NP.

Can you replace the NP with an AdjP?

Marjorie looked frightful /angry /very sad.

Therefore - PCS.


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Tests to distinguish PCS from DO

Test 2 - Agreement

The doctor seems a nice man.

PCS must agree with the subject.

DO does not agree with the subjectThe doctor saw a nice man/nice men.

Can you make the NP plural?

*The doctor seems nice men.

Therefore - PCS.


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Objective Predicative Complement (PCO)

Similar to PCS in many respects, but a PCOdescribes an attribute of the DO of a sentence.We consider him our leader.

Subj Verb DO PCO

The PCO function is filled by NP or AdjP. We considerhim very trustworthy.

An NP in the PCO function agrees in number with theDO phrase. We consider them our leaders.


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Distinguish PCO construction from IO

construction

VPp V NP NPWe considerhim our leader. (DO PCO)

We gave him our leader. (IO DO)

Substitute AdjP for NP if PCO

We considerhim very stong.

Cannot substitute AdjP for NP if DO *We gave him very strong.


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Distinguish PCO construction from IO

construction

VPp V NP NPWe considerhim our leader. (DO PCO)

We gave him our leader. (IO DO) DO NP and PCO NP agree in number

We considerhim our leader. (singular)

We consider them our leaders. (plural)

No number agreement between IO and DO

We gave him our leader/leaders.

We gave them our leader/leaders.


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Post-head dependents which are not complements in aVP are adjuncts

Adjuncts are never obligatory

Adjuncts modify some aspect of the possible referenceof the VP

Different types of phrases can act as an adjunct in a

VP (XP is an abbreviation for an unspecified type of

phrase)

Adjuncts can be fronted to pre-Subject

Adjuncts


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I left very quickly. (AdvP)

I left.

Very quickly I left.

I saw John on Tuesday. (PP)

I saw John.

On Tuesday I saw John.

Mary left the following day. (NP)

Mary left.

The following day Mary left.

Multiple adjuncts

Sue slept very badly in the plane on Tuesday after the

meeting


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I behave very badly. (COMP:AdvP)

*I behave ___. (incomplete - opposite meaning)

I put John on the ground. (COMP:PP)

*I put John ___.

Mary left her bag. (COMP:NP)

*Mary left ____.

Santa depends on Rudolph. (COMP:PP)

*Santa depends ___.

Complements cannot be omitted (except in special cases)


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Complements precede adjuncts

John read [the book] carefully/in the lounge

*John read carefully/in the lounge [the book].

Exception: 'Heavy' DO NP may follow an adjunct phrase

John examined (very) carefully [everysingle documentin

the safe].


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Summary

Every phrase has a head

A phrase may have dependents

Dependents may precede orfollow the head

Dependents with a close semantic and syntacticrelationship with the head are complements

In some phrases (e.g., VP) complements may be

obligatory

Dependents which are freely added to a phrase to modify

the head are adjuncts


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Structure of Predication 2

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