Chapter 8 - Syntactic uses of Noun Phrases

Summary

Introduction

This chapter will discuss the distribution of noun phrases within the clause, and the differences between the types of noun phrase in this respect: pronouns, for example, behave differently from definite noun phrases, which in their turn behave differently from indefinite noun phrases. Sections 8.1 and 8.2 discuss the distribution of noun phrases in their core functions as °arguments and predicates, respectively. Section 8.3 concludes the discussion with some remarks on the adverbial use of noun phrases. This chapter will be relatively short given that some of the issues discussed here are discussed in more detail elsewhere. For example, the use of noun phrases as arguments of nouns is extensively discussed in Chapter 2, and similar chapters can be found in Broekhuis & Corver (in prep).

Noun phrases as arguments

Noun phrases are typically used as arguments of a verb or one of the three other major categories N, A and P. This section mainly focuses on their distribution as arguments of the verb, that is, in the clausal domain. In Section 8.1.1, we start with a discussion of the argument functions the noun phrase can have. This is followed in 8.1.2 by a discussion of the restrictions on wh-movement and topicalization. Section 8.1.3 provides a discussion of °scrambling, that is, the placement of the noun phrase in the °middle field of the clause. In 8.1.4, we conclude with a discussion of the restrictions on noun phrases in the °expletive construction.

Syntactic functions of noun phrases

Noun phrases can occur in all argument functions. Some typical examples are given in (1) to (4). In (1) the noun phrase acts as the (nominative) subject of the clause, in (2) as the (accusative) direct object, in (3) as the (dative) indirect object, and in (4), finally, as the °complement of a preposition: the primeless examples in (4) involve a prepositional indirect object and the primed ones involve PP-complements of the verb, but examples could also be given for PPs with, e.g., an adverbial function. The (a)- and (b)-examples of each set illustrate, respectively, non-neuter and neuter singulars, and the (c)-examples exemplify plurals.