Adpositional phrase
Encyclopedia
An adpositional phrase is a linguistics
term defining a syntactic category
that includes prepositional phrases and postpositional phrases. Adpositional phrases contain an adposition
in the head
position and usually a complement
such as a noun phrase
. Language syntax
treats adpositional phrases as units that act as complements
or adjuncts
.
Postpositional and prepositional phrases differ by the order of the words used. Head-first languages such as English
normally use prepositional phrases while head-final languages use postpositional.
Prepositional phrases have a preposition as the central element of the phrase. In contrast to other types of phrases, this cannot be described as a head
, since the preposition cannot stand on its own. The remaining parts of the phrase, usually a noun phrase, are called the prepositional complement.
The first example could be diagrammed (using simplified modern notation):
Where by convention:
The diagram shows that the prepositional phrase in this sentence is composed of two parts: a preposition and a noun phrase. The preposition is in the head position, and the noun phrase is in the complement position. Because English is a head-first language, we usually see the head before the complement (or any adjunct
s) when we actually read the sentence. (However, the head comes after the specifier, such as the determiner "the" in the noun phrase above.)
See adposition
for more examples of complements found in prepositional phrases.
Prepositional phrases generally act as complements and adjunct
s of noun phrase
s and verb phrase
s. For example:
A prepositional phrase should not be confused with the sequence formed by the particle and the direct object of a phrasal verb
, as in turn on the light. This sequence is structurally distinct from a prepositional phrase. In this case, "on" and "the light" do not form a unit; they combine independently with the verb "turn".
Another common point of confusion is that the word "to" may appear either as a preposition or as a verbal particle in infinitive
verb phrases, such as "to run for president".
, Estonian
, Finnish
, Georgian
, Korean
, Japanese
, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali
and Tamil
. The word or other morpheme
that corresponds to an English preposition occurs after its complement
, hence the name postposition. The following examples are from Japanese:
And from Finnish, where postpositions have further developed into case endings:
Postpositional phrases generally act as complements and adjunct
s of noun phrase
s and verb phrase
s.
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
term defining a syntactic category
Syntactic category
A syntactic category is either a phrasal category, such as noun phrase or verb phrase, which can be decomposed into smaller syntactic categories, or a lexical category, such as noun or verb, which cannot be further decomposed....
that includes prepositional phrases and postpositional phrases. Adpositional phrases contain an adposition
Adposition
Prepositions are a grammatically distinct class of words whose most central members characteristically express spatial relations or serve to mark various syntactic functions and semantic roles...
in the head
Head (linguistics)
In linguistics, the head is the word that determines the syntactic type of the phrase of which it is a member, or analogously the stem that determines the semantic category of a compound of which it is a component. The other elements modify the head....
position and usually a complement
Complement (linguistics)
In grammar the term complement is used with different meanings. The primary meaning is a word, phrase or clause that is necessary in a sentence to complete its meaning. We find complements that function as an argument and complements that exist within arguments.Both complements and modifiers add...
such as a noun phrase
Noun phrase
In grammar, a noun phrase, nominal phrase, or nominal group is a phrase based on a noun, pronoun, or other noun-like word optionally accompanied by modifiers such as adjectives....
. Language syntax
Syntax
In linguistics, syntax is the study of the principles and rules for constructing phrases and sentences in natural languages....
treats adpositional phrases as units that act as complements
Complement (linguistics)
In grammar the term complement is used with different meanings. The primary meaning is a word, phrase or clause that is necessary in a sentence to complete its meaning. We find complements that function as an argument and complements that exist within arguments.Both complements and modifiers add...
or adjuncts
Adjunct (grammar)
In linguistics, an adjunct is an optional, or structurally dispensable, part of a sentence that, when removed, will not affect the remainder of the sentence except to discard from it some auxiliary information...
.
Postpositional and prepositional phrases differ by the order of the words used. Head-first languages such as English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
normally use prepositional phrases while head-final languages use postpositional.
Prepositional phrases
The bolded phrases are examples of prepositional phrases in English:- She is on the computer. (She is using the computer.)
- Ryan could hear her across the room.
- David walked down the ramp.
- They walked to their school.
- Philip ate in the kitchen.
Prepositional phrases have a preposition as the central element of the phrase. In contrast to other types of phrases, this cannot be described as a head
Head (linguistics)
In linguistics, the head is the word that determines the syntactic type of the phrase of which it is a member, or analogously the stem that determines the semantic category of a compound of which it is a component. The other elements modify the head....
, since the preposition cannot stand on its own. The remaining parts of the phrase, usually a noun phrase, are called the prepositional complement.
The first example could be diagrammed (using simplified modern notation):
IP
/ \
NP VP
| | \
N V \
| | PP
She is / \
/ \
P NP
| / \
on Det N
| |
the computer
Where by convention:
- IP = Inflectional phraseInflectional phraseAn inflectional phrase or agreement phrase is essentially the same as a sentence in which the verb has finite form.It is a functional phrase which has inflection ....
(sentence) - NP = Noun phraseNoun phraseIn grammar, a noun phrase, nominal phrase, or nominal group is a phrase based on a noun, pronoun, or other noun-like word optionally accompanied by modifiers such as adjectives....
- N = NounNounIn linguistics, a noun is a member of a large, open lexical category whose members can occur as the main word in the subject of a clause, the object of a verb, or the object of a preposition .Lexical categories are defined in terms of how their members combine with other kinds of...
- VP = Verb phraseVerb phraseIn linguistics, a verb phrase or VP is a syntactic unit composed of at least one verb and the dependents of that verb. One can distinguish between two types of VPs, finite VPs and non-finite VPs . While phrase structure grammars acknowledge both, dependency grammars reject the existence of a...
- V = VerbVerbA verb, from the Latin verbum meaning word, is a word that in syntax conveys an action , or a state of being . In the usual description of English, the basic form, with or without the particle to, is the infinitive...
- PP = Prepositional phrase
- P = Preposition
- Det = Determiner
The diagram shows that the prepositional phrase in this sentence is composed of two parts: a preposition and a noun phrase. The preposition is in the head position, and the noun phrase is in the complement position. Because English is a head-first language, we usually see the head before the complement (or any adjunct
Adjunct (grammar)
In linguistics, an adjunct is an optional, or structurally dispensable, part of a sentence that, when removed, will not affect the remainder of the sentence except to discard from it some auxiliary information...
s) when we actually read the sentence. (However, the head comes after the specifier, such as the determiner "the" in the noun phrase above.)
See adposition
Adposition
Prepositions are a grammatically distinct class of words whose most central members characteristically express spatial relations or serve to mark various syntactic functions and semantic roles...
for more examples of complements found in prepositional phrases.
Prepositional phrases generally act as complements and adjunct
Adjunct (grammar)
In linguistics, an adjunct is an optional, or structurally dispensable, part of a sentence that, when removed, will not affect the remainder of the sentence except to discard from it some auxiliary information...
s of noun phrase
Noun phrase
In grammar, a noun phrase, nominal phrase, or nominal group is a phrase based on a noun, pronoun, or other noun-like word optionally accompanied by modifiers such as adjectives....
s and verb phrase
Verb phrase
In linguistics, a verb phrase or VP is a syntactic unit composed of at least one verb and the dependents of that verb. One can distinguish between two types of VPs, finite VPs and non-finite VPs . While phrase structure grammars acknowledge both, dependency grammars reject the existence of a...
s. For example:
- The man from China was enjoying his noodles. (Adjunct of a noun phrase)
- She ran under him. (Adjunct of a verb phrase)
- He gave money to the cause. (ObliqueOblique caseAn oblique case in linguistics is a noun case of synthetic languages that is used generally when a noun is the object of a verb or a preposition...
complement of a verb phrase) - A student of physics. (Complement of a noun phrase)
- She argued with him. (Complement of a verb phrase)
A prepositional phrase should not be confused with the sequence formed by the particle and the direct object of a phrasal verb
Phrasal verb
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a preposition, a verb and an adverb, or a verb with both an adverb and a preposition, any of which are part of the syntax of the sentence, and so are a complete semantic unit. Sentences may contain direct and indirect objects in addition to the phrasal...
, as in turn on the light. This sequence is structurally distinct from a prepositional phrase. In this case, "on" and "the light" do not form a unit; they combine independently with the verb "turn".
Another common point of confusion is that the word "to" may appear either as a preposition or as a verbal particle in infinitive
Infinitive
In grammar, infinitive is the name for certain verb forms that exist in many languages. In the usual description of English, the infinitive of a verb is its basic form with or without the particle to: therefore, do and to do, be and to be, and so on are infinitives...
verb phrases, such as "to run for president".
Postpositional phrases
Postpositions are usually found in head-final languages such as BasqueBasque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
, Estonian
Estonian language
Estonian is the official language of Estonia, spoken by about 1.1 million people in Estonia and tens of thousands in various émigré communities...
, Finnish
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
, Georgian
Georgian language
Georgian is the native language of the Georgians and the official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus.Georgian is the primary language of about 4 million people in Georgia itself, and of another 500,000 abroad...
, Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
, Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
and Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
. The word or other morpheme
Morpheme
In linguistics, a morpheme is the smallest semantically meaningful unit in a language. The field of study dedicated to morphemes is called morphology. A morpheme is not identical to a word, and the principal difference between the two is that a morpheme may or may not stand alone, whereas a word,...
that corresponds to an English preposition occurs after its complement
Complement (linguistics)
In grammar the term complement is used with different meanings. The primary meaning is a word, phrase or clause that is necessary in a sentence to complete its meaning. We find complements that function as an argument and complements that exist within arguments.Both complements and modifiers add...
, hence the name postposition. The following examples are from Japanese:
- mise ni ("to the store")
- ie kara ("from the house")
- hashi de ("with chopsticks" or "on the bridge")
And from Finnish, where postpositions have further developed into case endings:
- kauppaan ("to the store")
- talosta ("from the house")
- puikoilla ("with chopsticks")
Postpositional phrases generally act as complements and adjunct
Adjunct (grammar)
In linguistics, an adjunct is an optional, or structurally dispensable, part of a sentence that, when removed, will not affect the remainder of the sentence except to discard from it some auxiliary information...
s of noun phrase
Noun phrase
In grammar, a noun phrase, nominal phrase, or nominal group is a phrase based on a noun, pronoun, or other noun-like word optionally accompanied by modifiers such as adjectives....
s and verb phrase
Verb phrase
In linguistics, a verb phrase or VP is a syntactic unit composed of at least one verb and the dependents of that verb. One can distinguish between two types of VPs, finite VPs and non-finite VPs . While phrase structure grammars acknowledge both, dependency grammars reject the existence of a...
s.
See also
- Phrase chunkingPhrase chunkingPhrase chunking is a natural language process that separates and segments a sentence into its subconstituents, such as noun, verb, and prepositional phrases.-External links:**...
- Structural linguisticsStructural LinguisticsStructural linguistics is an approach to linguistics originating from the work of Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure. De Saussure's Course in General Linguistics, published posthumously in 1916, stressed examining language as a static system of interconnected units...
- Transformational-generative grammar