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Noncanonical subjects
Presented by May Soe Seint Phyu

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WHAT IS NONCONONICAL SUBJECT?
• A constituent which functions as the subject
of a predicate
• Not a sister of the predicate.

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1.Noncononical subject with Wh-questions
a) W h o d o y o u t h i n k a n n o y e d R h o d e s ?
b) I w o n d e r [ w h o y o u t h i n k a n n o y e d R h o d e s ] ?
c) * Yo u t h i n k a n n o y e d R h o d e s . ( n o r m a l l y )
d) * W h o d o y o u t h i n k h e a n n o y e d R h o d e s ?
Two subjects
e) * H e s h e a n n o y e d R h o d e s .

• The predicate annoyed Rhodes is not immediately

preceded by the subject.

• The subject is absence.

• Use Wh- as the subject.

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2.Raising Sentence

a) H o b b s s e e m e d t o b e a f o o l .
b) T h e y c o n s i d e r R h o d e s t o b e a f o o l .
c) * H o b b s s e e m e d R h o d e s t o b e a
fool.

• to be a fool predicate

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3.Passives Master title style

a) Rhodes is considered to be a fool.

subject
• To be a fool Rhodes
Larger predicate
• Rhodes is considered to be a fool

b) *Rhodes is considered Hobbs to be a fool.

• Predicate with two subjects.

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• One further point

a) They consider Rhodes to be a fool.

b) Rhodes is considered to be a fool.

• (a) Rhodes not only as a subject but also a complement of the preceding verb.
• (b) Rhodes both a noncanonical subject and noncanonical complement.

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Thank you

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