Noun Phrases

Is headed by a noun

Subject + object

Noun

Semantic definition

• word that describes objects, people, places, etc.

Morphologically

• noun endings (-hood, -ship)

• Inflection endings

  • (-'s) boy's

  • plural – boys

Syntax

• a word is a noun if it fallows

  • adjective

  • determiners

  • Preposition

• it cams after

  • a verb

Pronouns

Pronouns constitute a separate part of speech

However when it comes to......... pronouns and anaphores belong to nouns, they only have different properties

Tom - pronominal, - anaphor ← lexical noun

he + pronominal, - anaphor ← it's a pronoun

himself - pronominal, + anaphor ← anaphor

anaphor – sth that refers to sth that was already mentioned

Tom(1) loves him(2)

Tom(1) loves himself(1) anaphor

Tom(1) loves Tom(2)

Pronoun – nominal expression

Tom is a doctor – predicative complement = subject complement = subject predicative

I was talking to the doctor

• part of 'to the doctor' – prep. Phrase

• not an immediate sentence constituent

• a complement of preposition

I like [Sue's analyses of the passive construction]

• Not an immediate sentence constituent

• Sue's - Subject-determiner of analyses (corresponds to: Sue analyses the passive construction)

They arrived the day before yesterday

• Immediate sentence constituent

• Functions as adverbial (time, place, manner)

They nail was [three inches long]

• Not an immediate sentence constituent

• Adjective phrase [ ]

• Modifier in an adj Phrase

Fred arrived [a whole day late]

• Not an immediate sentence constituent

• AdvP []

• Modifier in an Adv P

The wreck was discovered [a mile under the sea]

• Not an immediate sentence constituent

• [ ] PrepPhrase

• modifier in a PP

I finally met [his wife(1), a famous anthropologist(1)]

• [ ]

• apposition (his wife & a famous anthropologist are in apposition) e.g. My brother Tom

Elisabeth, your taxi is here

• Vocative

They opened [a new car factory] here

• Not an immediate sentence constituent

• Modifier in a NP

Nominals

Categories which are in between a NP and a Nouns

[The old man]

[] - NP

The – determiner

man – N

old man – Nominal

NP

Det Head

D Nom

Mod Head

AP N

The old man

NP → Nom → N

Head

Dependants – all the other elements of the NP

• Determiners

  NP → (Det) N

The man

Det

The teacher's phone

• The teacher's – Det, Determiner Phrase

NP

Det Head

DP N

Det. Head

D N

The teacher's phone