LECTURE 7
1. More on NPs:
for every VP in the sentence there is the corresponding NOM in the NP,
NOM is the intermediate position - never a full NP and never just N,
however, in the following phrase: the happy faces and the sad ones: one replaces N = faces, so in this case N must also be NOM:
NP
DET NOM
ART AP NOM
the happy faces
2. There is a test for NOM which involves the pronoun one:
Larry's neat summary of the argument and this one, too (one = NOM: neat summary of the argument),
Larry's neat summary of the argument and Brian's clumsy one (one = NOM: summary of the argument),
Larry's summary of the argument and Bill's one of conclusion (one ≠ NOM, one = N: summary).
3. NOM-modifier & N-modifier:
the distinction between the two is similar to the distinction between an adjunct adverbial and complement,
the distinction between sister-of-Vgrp (= complement) and sister-of-VP (= adjunct adverbial) is parallel to the distinction between sister-of-NP and sister-of-NOM,
for example, in the phrase: The happy faces of many foreign tourists: of many foreign tourists relates to faces (N); it complements N = N-modifier; happy is more peripheral in its relation to faces = NOM-modifier,
DEFINITIONS:
if a modifier can occur with the pro-NOM one, then it must be a sister of NOM (a NOM-modifier); N-modifiers must appear immediately adjacent to the simple N they modify, e.g.: those students of English in room 001: of English relates to students and complements it (N-modifier); in room 001 is NOM-modifier.
4. Those students in room 001 of English - is incorrect because N-modifier of English occurs in the position where it has to modify (NOM): students in room 001 and not a simple N.
5. NOM-modifiers tolerate being separated from the head noun by another modifier. NOM notes allow for (i.e. create slots for) the addition of further modifies of the head N: a painter from Germany with real talent:
Q1: Is from Germany a (complement) N-modifier or an (adjunct) NOM-modifier?
It can be separated from the head noun and modify a painter with real talent: a painter with real talent from Germany. Thus both are NOM-modifiers and so the order of their appearance is rather optional.
6. Summoning up:
nouns accept a wide range of modifiers within NOM. Because they are inside the NOM (either preceding or following NP), they are called INTERNAL MODIFIERS,
there is not any grammatical limit to the number of modifiers that can occur within a single NP, however, there are preferences as to the order, e.g.: the little black sheep (not: the black little sheep),
EXTERNAL MODIFIERS - occur within NPs but outside the head NOM; there are subtypes of external modifiers:
quantificational expressions: all the children, half a day, twice the size,
APs which occur as external modifiers only before the indefinite article a/an: such a disaster, too risky to venture,
other which do not require the presence of a determiner, e.g.: proper nouns: even the children, David himself, the doctor alone.