Linguistic grammar homework.
Chapter 11 Complements
Part II
Chapter 11, Part 1
I. Introduction
II. Subcategorization
III. Complements of Verbs
A. What phrases have complements
B. Direct object versus subjective complements
C. Objective complements
Chapter 11, Part 2
D. Prepositional Phrase complements
E. Indirect Objects
F. Adverb Phrase and Adverbial NP Complements
G. Wh-complements
H. Participial phrase complements
I. Tensed Clause complements
J. Infinitive and Bare infinitive complements
IV. Complements of other categories
D. PP complements
Illustration:
Judy talked about the election.
D. PP complements
Phrase structure:
VP
V PP
talked P NP
about Det N
the election
PP is the complement of the verb
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
1. The verb determines the choice of P
Illustration:
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
1. The verb determines the choice of P:
Sue talked about the election.
*Sue talked from the election.
*Sue talked under the election.
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
1. The verb determines the choice of P:
The committee relied on our testimony.
*The committee relied to/for/with our testimony.
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
1. The verb determines the choice of P:
The committee relied on our testimony.
*The committee relied to/for/with our testimony.
Mary’s sister commented on her new hairdo.
*Mary’s sister commented with/about/from/toward…
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
- Comparison: PP MODIFIERS:
- Sue sang at the wedding
- Sue sang about the wedding
- Sue sang for the wedding
- Sue sang before the wedding
- Sue sang during the wedding
- Sue sang with her friends
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
Diagnostics for PP complements:
1. PP complements: the verb determines the preposition(s) that are possible
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
Diagnostics for PP complements:
1. PP complements: the verb determines the preposition(s) that are possible
2. Complement PPs occur closer to the verb than modifiers:
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
2. Complement PPs occur closer to the verb than modifier PPs:
Sue laughed at the joke at the office.
Complement Modifier
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
2. Complement PPs occur closer to the verb than modifier PPs:
Sue laughed at the joke at the office.
Complement Modifier
*Sue laughed at the office at the joke.
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
1. PP complements: the verb determines the preposition(s) that are possible
2. Complement PPs occur closer to the verb than modifier PPs.
3. Verbs with PP Complements usually can be passivized.
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
3. Verbs with PP Complements usually can be passivized:
They laughed at the joke.
The joke was laughed at (by everyone).
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
3. Verbs with PP Complements usually can be passivized:
They laughed at the joke.
The joke was laughed at (by everyone).
The committee relied on our testimony.
Our testimony was relied on (by the committee).
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
3. Verbs with PP Complements usually can be passivized:
- Compare: Verbs with PP modifiers cannot be passivized in the same way:
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
3. Verbs with PP Complements usually can be passivized:
- Compare: Verbs with PP modifiers cannot be passivized in the same way:
They laughed at the office.
The office was laughed at. (* location meaning).
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
3. Verbs with PP Complements usually can be passivized:
- Compare: Verbs with PP modifiers cannot be passivized in the same way:
They laughed at the office.
The office was laughed at. (* location meaning).
Fred danced with his sister.
*His sister was danced with by Fred.
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
4. Phrase structure of PP complements:
VP
V NP
Characteristics of Prep. Complements:
Phrase structure of Modifiers:
VP
VP PP
V at the wedding
Practice
Identify PP as complement or Modifier:
The judge arrived at a decision quickly.
Diagnostics: restricted choice of P?
passivization possible?
order relative to modifiers?
Practice #1
Identify PP as complement or Modifier:
1. Choice of preposition is limited:
The judge arrived at a decision quickly.
*The judge arrived from/about/of/to a decision quickly.
Practice #1
Identify PP as complement or Modifier:
2. Passivization:
A decision was arrived at quickly.
Practice #1
Identify PP as complement or Modifier:
3. Order relative to Modifiers:
The judge arrived at a decision quickly.
*The judge arrived quickly at a decision.
Practice #1
Identify PP as complement or Modifier:
Conclusion: In this example, PP is a complement
Practice #2
The neighbors talked over the fence.
Practice #2
The neighbors talked over the fence.
1. Choice of preposition:
The neighbors talked over the fence.
They talked around the watercooler
They talked beside/through the window
Practice #2
The neighbors talked over the fence.
2. Passivization
They talked over the fence.
*The fence was talked over (by them).
Practice #2
The neighbors talked over the fence.
3. Order relative to Modifiers:
They talked for an hour over the fence.
Practice #2
The neighbors talked over the fence.
Conclusion: PP is a modifier.
E. Indirect objects
1. Example:
Sue gave Mort an apple.
VP
V NP NP
gave Mort an apple
E. Indirect objects
1. Example:
Sue gave Mort an apple.
VP
V NP NP
gave Mort an apple
Indirect Object
E. Indirect objects
2. Diagnostic:
NP undergoes ‘Indirect Object Movement’:
Sue gave Mort an apple
E. Indirect objects
2. Diagnostic:
NP undergoes ‘Indirect Object Movement’:
Sue gave Mort an apple to Mort
E. Indirect objects
3. Practice: is the underlined an IO?
The director considered the film a success.
E. Indirect objects
3. Practice: is the underlined an IO:
The director considered the film a success.
*The director considered a success to the film.
Conclusion: NP is not an IO.
E. Indirect objects
3. Practice: is the underlined an IO:
The director will mail the producer a check.
E. Indirect objects
3. Practice: is the underlined an IO:
The director will mail the producer a check.
The director will mail _ a check to the producer.
F. Adverb Phrase and Adverbial NP Complements
1. Examples: Adverb Phrase complements
The host worded the invitation carefully.
She phrased her response smoothly.
That poetry translates easily.
These shirts wash well.
F. Adverb Phrase and Adverbial NP Complements
2. Examples: Adverbial NP complements
They will go home/downtown.
F. Adverb Phrase and Adverbial NP Complements
3. Examples: NPs of amount or measure:
The fish weighs ten pounds.
It will cost fifty dollars.
F. Adverb Phrase and Adverbial NP Complements
4. Diagnostics for Adverbial NP complements
Adverbial NPs cannot appear in passive sentences:
*Fifty dollars are cost by the fish.
Adverbial NPs occur with verbs of measure: weigh, cost
G. Wh-complements
1. Examples:
Anya wondered who arrived.
G. Wh-complements
1. Examples:
Anya wondered who arrived.
The agent asked if the flight was on time.
G. Wh-complements
2. Wh-complements are possible with certain verbs:
wonder
ask
(not) know
(not) be certain
(not) decide
G. Wh-complements
3. The form of Wh-complements:
The complement is introduced by a Wh-phrase or by an interrogative complementizer: if, whether
G. Wh-complements
3. The form of Wh-complements: if, whether
Mary asked if Sue made the pizza for dinner last night.
G. Wh-complements
3. The form of Wh-complements: if, whether
Mary asked if Sue made the pizza for dinner last night.
Mary asked whether Sue made the pizza for dinner last night.
G. Wh-complements
- 3. The form of Wh-complements: Wh-phrase
Mary asked --
… who made the pizza for dinner last night.
… which chef made the pizza for dinner
last night.
… what Sue made for dinner last night.
… when Sue made the pizza for dinner.
G. Wh-complements
3. The form of Wh-complements: finite or non-finite
G. Wh-complements
3. The form of Wh-complements: finite or non-finite:
We wonder whether we should go (or not).
We wonder whether to go or not.
G. Wh-complements
3. The form of Wh-complements: finite or non-finite:
We wonder whether we should go (or not).
We wonder whether to go or not.
G. Wh-complements
3. The interpretation of Wh-complements: indirect question
Fred couldn’t decide whether to lend us that book (or not).
G. Wh-complements
3. The interpretation of Wh-complements: indirect question
Fred couldn’t decide whether to lend us that book (or not).
Corresponding main clause question:
Should Fred lend us that book (or not)?
H. Participial phrase complements
H. Participial phrase complements
1. Example:
Lionel stopped eating crabcakes.
H. Participial phrase complements
2. Phrase structure:
VP
V VP
stopped V NP
eating N
crabcakes
H. Participial phrase complements
3. Identification
-ing form of the verb
Verb is active, not stative:
Sue started studying.
*Sue started knowing the answer.
I. Tensed Clause complements
I. Tensed Clause complements
1. Example:
The merchants said that the customers may come in now.
2. Form: “tensed clause” = finite clause
I. Tensed Clause complements
3. Diagnostics for tensed clauses
- Finite clauses contain a modal or a past or present form of a verb.
- Finite clauses can usually be introduced by the complementizer that
- Finite clauses have subjects that take Nominative form of pronouns:
She said that they/*them may come in.
J. Infinitival and bare infinitival Complements
1. Example:
The tourists hoped to see a show on Broadway.
Mom made Hortence clean her room.
J. Infinitival and Bare infinitival Complements
2. Form of infinitival complements
- Aux position filled by to
- subject position may have overt or covert NP
They want [ -- to do an encore ]
They want [ us to do an encore ]
- Complementizer for is sometimes possible:
They want [ for us to do an encore]
J. Infinitival and Bare infinitival Complements
3. Form of bare infinitive complements:
To does not appear before the infintive
Bare Infinitives occur with verbs of causation and perception
They heard/saw/felt/the wind blow.
J. Infinitival and Bare infinitival Complements
3. Form of bare infinitive complements
Bare infinitives typically have an overt subject:
We watched [ the actors leave the stage]
The jury saw [ the attorneys confer quietly]
III. Summary: Complement types
A. Direct Object NP
B. Subject complement
C. Object complement
D. Prepositional Phrases
E. Indirect Objects
F. Adverb Phrase and Adverbial NP Complements
G. Wh-complements
H. Participial phrase complements
I. Tensed Clause complements
J. Infinitive and Bare infinitive complements
IV Complements of other categories
Adverbs sometimes have complements:
unfortunately for us (PP)
*tiredly of studying (tired of studying)
Complements of other categories
Adjectives:
fond of language study (PP)
interested in music theory (PP)
happy that they finally arrived (S)
Complements of other categories
Prepositions:
into the mountains (NP)
behind the door (NP)
before [ we left ] (S)
Complements of other categories
Nouns
the proof of the theorem (PP)
the proposal to lower taxes (S)
the fact [ that we left ] (S)
Complements of other categories
Generalization
all lexical categories can have complements