Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
http://hdl.handle.net/2123/5797
|
| Title: | Non-predicating adjectives: a semantic account |
| Authors: | de Zwaan, Alan Department of Linguistics |
| Keywords: | English adjectives decompositional semantics degree modification lexical semantics |
| Issue Date: | 13-Jan-2010 |
| Series/Report no.: | November 2009 |
| Abstract: | This thesis provides a semantic account of non-predication in the adjectives of English. Particular attention is paid to adjectives that are only non-predicating when they modify certain types of nouns; both agentive nouns and degree nouns are decomposed semantically into two distinct semantic elements, one of which consists of the referent (referential element) and another which consists of either an action associated with the noun or a quality already expressed by it (non-referential element). The other main focus of the thesis is denominal adjectives which have a structure like that of modifying nouns and which are differentiated from regular quality attributing adjectives via their semantic structure that does not express a single quality. The semantics of regular predicating adjectives is discussed, and it is found that predication requires an adjective to attribute a quality directly to the noun referent. Adjectives which have a function that does not meet this description are then restricted to the attributive (prenominal position). It is suggested that the prenominal position allows for a greater variety of semantic behaviours due to the relationship between the two phrasal elements not being made explicit. |
| Description: | Supervised by Nick Riemer |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/2123/5797 |
| Department/Unit/Centre: | Department of Linguistics |
| Appears in Collections: | Honours Theses |
Files in This Item:
|
Items in Sydney eScholarship Repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.