23
Figure 2.4 Noun Head + Complement
In conclusion, a noun head modified by an adjunct has two positions, as both N and N-bar, whereas that which is modified by a complement has a position only as
an N. It is as what Radford 1988 states that “a noun which has an overt
complement is simply an N, whereas a noun which lacks a complement has the status of N-bar as well as N
” p.187. Radford 1988 also adds that N-bar can be proformed by the pro-N-bar,
one. An NP in which the noun head is modified by adjuncts, both the head and Head + Adjunct have the position of N-bar. Therefore, they can be proformed by
the pro-N-bar, one. However, in an NP whose noun head is modified by complements, it is only Head + Complement, which can be proformed by the pro-
N-bar, one. The N-bar is Head + Complement. Hence, the NP „a student in the
corner ‟ can be proformed by one as:
10.f 1. Which student? The one in the corner. 2. Which student in the corner? This one.
By contrast, the NP „a student of Biology‟ can only be proformed as 10g.2.
10.g 1. Which student? The one of Biology? 2. Which student of Biology? That one?
24
2. Relative Clause
The postmodification provides greater explicitness compared to the premodification as mentioned by Quirk et al. 1985. The NP
„an intelligent graduate student
‟ can be clearly interpreted with postmodification by an RC as „a student who is intelligent and who is studying at a graduate school
‟. Quirk et al. 1985 also add that explicitness in postmodification is greater in the finite RC
than non-finite clause. Based on the semantic relation between the RCs and noun head, RCs
consist of restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses. Quirk et al. 1985 note that “restrictive relative clauses are closely connected to their antecedent or head
prosodically, and denote a limitation on the reference of the antecedent” p. 366.
The connection is shown in example 11a. 11.a I get the book that you told me yesterday.
In comparison to RCs, Quirk et al. 1985 mention that “nonrestrictive clauses are
parenthetic comments, which usually describe, but do not further define, the antecedent” p. 366.
11.b I spoke to Melda, whom I met in the conference. In short, restrictive RCs limit the noun head, but nonrestrictive clauses just give
additional information about the noun head.
a. Restrictive Relative Clause
One of the factors in selecting relative pronoun is the function of relative pronoun as subject or object. Quirk et al. 1985 explain
that “when the antecedent
25 is personal and the pronoun is the subject of the relative clause, who
is favored” p. 1250.
12.a People who lived in the new house. However, zero cannot replace the subject in the RC Quirk et al., 1985, such as:
12.b People lived in the new house. The use of that and which as relative pronouns are different. When the
antecedent of the RC is nonpersonal and the structure is simple or no more complex than Deteminer + Head, that is more preferable to which or zero Quirk
et al., 1985, p. 1252. 12.c We come to the discussion that most English language learners are
interested in. However, when the subject of the RC is a personal pronoun, zero is preferred to
which or that, especially when the RC is short and simple Quirk et al., 1985. 12.d I like the book you gave to me.
b. Nonrestrictive Relative Clause
The choice of relative pronoun in the nonrestrictive clause is more limited compared to the restrictive clause. Who and which are used as subjects of RCs
Quirk et al., 1972, p.871. 13.a She is Anna, who presents her paper in the conference.
However, as an object of verb or preposition, whom and which are used. 13.b She is Anna, whom you met yesterday.
26 According to Quirk et al. 1972, RCs are also called nonrestrictive or restrictive
modifiers of NPs. Because of that, RCs have correspondences to attributive ADJs, as shown in 13.c.
13.c 1. people who speak English 2. English-speaking people
c. Multiple Postmodification
Multiple postmodification exists in three conditions Quirk et al., 1985, p.1276:
a. More than one modification is applied to a single noun head. 14.a the man in the corner talking to John
The second modifier „talking to John‟ modifies the whole NP „the man in the
corner ‟.
b. A modification is applied to more than one noun head. 14.b 1. the man in the corner and the woman in the corner
2. the man and woman in the corner The modifier
„in the corner‟ modifies two noun heads, „the man‟ and „the woman
‟. c. The combination of the structure a and b.
14.c the man and the woman in the corner talking to John The syntactic structure of the NP is shown in Figure 2.5.
