Lesson #13

The noun and the NP III

Checking the homework

3. Analyse the NPs below. Recognise both functions and categories.

d. MoreD (D) suddenM (AdjP) powerM(NP) cutsH(N)

power cutsH(N)

e. [More]D (D) [quick]M (AdjP) [deep]M (AdjP) [cuts]H (N)

f. [YourD (NP) fourM (Determinative) sistersH (N)]NP

g. SeveralD (Determinative) up-to-dateM (AdjP) biologyM (NP) [courses]H (N)

4. Analyse the following sentences in full.

a. [The new assistant]Subject NP [phoned the French suppliers]Predicate (VP).

[TheD (D) newM (AdjP) assistantH (N)]Subject (NP)

[phonedH (V) [the French suppliers]DO (NP)]Predicate (VP).

[theD (Determinative) FrenchM (AdjP) suppliersH (N)]DO (NP)

[The French suppliers]Subject phoned [the new assistant]DO

b. [Several current students]Subject (NP) [areH (V) [hardened felons]PC (NP)]Predicate (VP).

[SeveralD (Determinative) currentM (AdjP) studentsH (N)]Subject (NP)

[hardenedM (AdjP) felonsH (N)]PC (NP)

c. [The star player]Subject (NP) [passedH (V) [his eager teammate]IO (NP) [the ball]DO (NP) [with
admirable skill]Adjunct of Manner (PP)]Predicate (VP).
[TheD (Determinative) starM (NP) playerH (N)]Subject (NP)

[hisD (NP) eagerM (AdjP) teammateH (N)]IO (NP)

[theD (Determinative) ballH (N)]DO (NP)

[withH (P) admirable skill]Adjunct of Manner (PP)

[The star player]Subject (NP) [passedH (V) [his eager teammate]IO (NP) [the ball]DO (NP) [with
admirable skill]Adjunct of Manner (PP)]Predicate (VP).

His eager teammate was passed the ball.

The ball was passed to his eager teammate.

The star player passed [his eager teammate] [the ball]

The star player passed [the ball] [to his eager teammate]
Post-head modifiers

Modifiers located to the right of the head are known as post-head modifiers.

Just like with other syntactic functions, there are different categories that can be
post-head modifiers.

PP a picture [on the wall]M (PP) the chairs [with the ribbons]M (PP)
AdjP a man [keen on sports]M (AdjP) some contestants [eager to win]M (AdjP)
Appositive NP the movie [Scream]M (NP) is a 90s classic
Non-appositive NP A child [this tall] M (NP)

Finite Clause some version [that hasn’t been confirmed]M (Finite Clause)
Non-finite Clause scientists [looking for funding for their research]M (Non-Finite Clause)

Practice

1. Analyse the following NPs.

a. ThreeDeterminer (D) blindM (AdjP) miceH (N) [withH (P) cute hats]M (PP)

b. SomeDeterminer (D) [unusually stubbornH (Adj)]M (AdjP) playersH (N) [very likelyH (Adj) to
succeed]M (AdjP)

c. [Nearly every]Determiner (DP) PortugueseM (AdjP) embassyH (N) [aroundH (P) the world]M (PP)

d. Your sweet sister Brenda

e. A sturdy linen bag for your shopping at just $2!
f. The two people responsible for the news leak
g. Environmentally-friendly non-profit organisations in the area with lots of resources.
Complements

Determiners and modifiers are dependents not licensed by the head noun. However,
a noun could take dependents licensed by it. These are known as complements.

PP Their rejection [of the agreement]Complement (PP)

Some remarks [on the incident]Complement (PP)

NP A [Chemistry]Complement (NP) Professor

A [flower]Complement (NP) seller

Clauses The fact [that he is crippled]Complement (Finite Clause)

His resolution [to stay in bed]Complement (Non-Finite Clause)

A key question is how complements are distinguished from modifiers. As was said
above, complements are licensed by the noun. This means that there is a tight
semantic relation between the complement and the head noun.

First, let’s see some semantic differences.

With nouns derived from verbs, the nominal complement corresponds to one of the
complements of the verb.

They rejected the agreement → The rejection of the agreement

He remarked on the incident → Some remarks on the incident
People withdrew money → The withdrawal of money
He sells flower → A flower seller
She plays the cello → A cello player

They supplied paper the French paper suppliers

This does not obtain with modifiers.

He reviewed the quiz quickly → A quick review of the quiz

She decorated the room carefully → The careful decoration of the room
They revised the document thoroughly → A thorough revision of the document

In cases where the noun is not deverbal, the complement can be said to have a close
semantic relation to the noun.
Kin relation
Part-whole relation
Creator relation
Experiencer relation
Content/knowledge relation
The father of the children
The roof of the house The cover of the book
The poems of Blake A theory by Einstein
The fury of the workers The joy of the crowds
A book about divorce An Italian Professor

Again, this is not what we find with modifiers.

A big fat check

Brazilian coffee
Profound love
The plant under the window
A cry in the dead of night

There are also some syntactic differences.

AdjPs tend to function as modifiers. Very rarely do their function as complements.

An Italian Professor cf. a professor of Italian

cf. a professor from Italy
An ItalianM EnglishC professor

A legal adviser cf. an adviser of legal matters

cf. an adviser who’s within the law
A legal marriage adviser (vs. illegal marriage adviser)

A criminal attorney cf. an attorney of criminal law

cf. an attorney who’s a criminal

Complement PPs are generally headed by of. When it’s another preposition, this is
lexically restricted by the noun.

Our faith in justice

A change in strategy
Severe restrictions on exports
A ban on smoking
My acquaintance with the dark arts
The epilogue to the volume
A inquest into the matter
A demand for higher wages
Nominal complements are never obligatory like some verbal complements, but some
of them are almost always part of the NP.

The development of new techniques

The beginning of the year
The possibility of a radical change
A scarcity of fuel

Practice

2. Decide if the underlined constituents are complements or modifiers.

a. A mechanicsComplement (NP) workshop in the afternoonM (PP)

b. The cruelM (AdjP) destruction of GuernicaComplement (PP)

They destroyed Guernica

c. The FascistComplement (AdjP) destruction of GuernicaComplement (PP)

The Fascists destroyed Guernica

d. ThickM (AdjP) envelopes in the mailboxM (PP)

e. A renownedM (AdjP) expert on African historyComplement (PP) from CambridgeM (PP)

f. A renownedM (AdjP) CambridgeM (NP) African historyComplement (NP) expert.

g. My deepM (AdjP) hatred of cockroachesComplement (PP)

h. A heart of goldM (PP)

A heart of a frogComplement (PP)

i. Da Vinci sketches at the museum

j. The opportunistic alliance of the progressives to the conservatives
k. The mother of a thousand kids
l. The man of a thousand faces
m. Dog owners in the park
n. Dog toys in the park
3. Analyse the following NPs in full.

a. FiveDeterminer (Determinative) RomanianM (AdjP) filmsH (N) [about the war]Complement (PP)

b. MyDeterminer (NP) bloodyM (AdjP) ValentineH (N)

c. ManyDeterminer (Determinative) unexpectedM (AdjP) meetingsH (N) [of the adversaries]Complement (PP)
[by the river]Modifier (PP)

d. [Very few]Determiner (DP) talentedM (AdjP) bassComplement (NP) playersH (N)

4. Analyse the sentences in full.

a. The president of the US praised his talk to the Russian President in Geneva.
b. The most dangerous animal on Earth is the hyaena from the Nigerian savannah.
Reviewing the Clause Structure Quiz

Review questions

4)

[The admiral] declared war on the enemy.

Did the admiral declare war on the enemy?

AGENT → the doer of the action

[The admiral] declared war on the enemy. → the admiral

War was declared by the admiral → the admiral

War was declared by *he/him

Was war declared by the admiral?

6)
8)

The crew loaded [the wagon] with bricks

With bricks the crew loaded the wagon

[Very few]D [very talented]M bassM playersH

Homework

Reading assignment: H&P 2005: Chapter 5, section 9

1. Analyse the following NPs.

d. Your sweet sister Brenda

e. A sturdy linen bag for your shopping at just $2!
f. The two people responsible for the news leak
g. Environmentally-friendly non-profit organisations in the area with lots of resources.

Practice

2. Decide if the underlined constituents are complements or modifiers.

i. Da Vinci sketches at the museum

j. The opportunistic alliance of the progressives to the conservatives
k. The mother of a thousand kids
l. The man of a thousand faces
m. Dog owners in the park
n. Dog toys in the park

4. Analyse the sentences in full.

a. The president of the US praised his talk to the Russian President in Geneva.
b. The most dangerous animal on Earth is the hyaena from the Nigerian savannah.