Title: A subcategorizational account of the constraints on the premodifier in English noun phrases
Abstract: This paper studies the function of and the constraints on the premodifier in the noun phrase of English from the perspective of subcategorization.The result of the study shows that the premodifier in the noun phrase plays the function of subcategorizing the THING referred to by the noun,and the constructionPremodifier+Nounis the reflection in language of the result of cognition achieved when people subcategorize the THING in accord- ance with its attributes.The subcategorizational function of the premodifier suggests the existence of contrastive subcategories and takes as reference for subcategorization the coexisting intrinsic attribute of the THING. These two features constitute the constraints on the premodifier and determine whether a linguistic unit can function as a premodifier in the noun phrase.Based on these features,the paper develops an account for the constraints on ad- jectives and participles as premodifiers in English noun phrases.
Publication Year: 2008
Publication Date: 2008-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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