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Phrases which are divisible both syntactically and semantically




 

§ 35. Phrases of this kind contain a headword and one or more word-forms dependent on it. Here the following kinds of phrases may be distinguished: nominal, verbal, adjectival, adverbial and statival phrases.

 

1. In nominal phrases the headword is a noun, a noun-pronoun, or a numeral modified by one or more word-forms. The latter are mostly adjectives, nouns, or pronouns with prepositions, although they may be participles or infinitives. They may have dependent words of their own: a new way, a very good friend, a recently built house, the years to come, etc.; something curious, anything so unexpected, everybody staying here, all of them, nothing to say; tire first of May, the second to enter, etc. Their relation to the headword is attributive. Phrases of this kind function as nouns treated separately.

The man sat on the sofa. (subject and adverbial modifier expressed by nouns) The old man was sitting in a big armchair. (subject and adverbial modifier expressed by nominal phrases)

 

2. In verbal phrases the headword is a verbal which has one or more word-forms dependent on it. The latter are mostly nouns, noun-pronouns, or adverbs, each of which may have its own dependent words: to know him, to see her again, going home in the evening, speaking a foreign language. In all these phrases syntactical relations between the headwords and dependent words are either objective (him, her, a language) or adverbial (again, home, in the evening). Phrases of this kind function according to the nature of their headwords, that is, in the same way as their headwords do when used separately.

To see is to believe. (subject expressed by an infinitive) To see you here is a real pleasure. (subject expressed by an infinitive phrase)
Do you like swimming? (object expressed by a gerund) I hate swimming in cold water. (object expressed by a gerundial phrase)

 

3. In adjective phrases the headword is an adjective which has some words dependent on it. They are usually adverbs or nouns with a preposition, or an infinitive. These may have dependent words of their own: quite true, too big, wonderfully clever, kind enough, absent from classes, true to his word, unable to say a word, etc. Their relation to the headword is either adverbial (where the dependent word is an adverb) or objective (where the dependent word is a noun with a preposition or an infinitive). Such phrases perform the same functions as adjectives used alone.

 

She has a kind heart. (attribute expressed by an adjective)   It was a very dark night. (attribute expressed by an adjective phrase)
Are you angry? (predicative expressed by an adjective) Are you quite ready? (predicative expressed by an adjective phrase)

 

4. In adverbial phrases the headword is an adverb modified by some other adverb or (very seldom) by a noun/pronoun with a preposition: very happily, rather well, heartily enough, fortunately for the boy, etc. Their relation to the headword is either adverbial (in this case the modifying word is an adverb) or objective (in this case it is a noun with a preposition). Such phrases function like separate adverbs.

 

She thanked him warmly. (adverbial modifier expressed by an adverb) He set to work heartily enough. (adverbial modifier expressed by an adverbial phrase)

 

5. Instatival phrases where the headword is a stative modified either by a noun with a preposition, or by an adverb, or by an infinitive, each of which may have dependent words of its own: aware of the danger, afraid of cold water, so deeply asleep, quite alone, afraid to go home, ashamed to tell her about it, etc. Their relation to the headword is either adverbial (the dependent word is an adverb) or objective (in this case it is a noun with a preposition or an infinitive). Such phrases function as the corresponding statives do when used separately.

 

The whole land was aflame. (predicative expressed by a stative) The sky above themseemed afire with stars. (predicative expressed by a statival phrase)

 

As is seen from the above, the relations between the headword and dependent words within these phrases (1-5) may be of three kinds: attributive, objective, or adverbial.

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