Understanding Predicators and Predicates in Sentence Semantics
Exploring the semantics of sentences, this content delves into the structure of declarative sentences in terms of predicators and arguments. It discusses various classes of items that can function as the predicator of a sentence, such as lexical verbs, the copulative verb "be" in equative sentences, adjectives, non-referring nouns, and simple or complex prepositions. Examples illustrate the role of predicators in sentences and emphasize the importance of identifying the predicator based on the base form of the lexical verb. The distinction between predicators like lexical verbs and copulative verbs like "be" is highlighted, showcasing how the copulative verb "be" in certain constructions does not function as a predicator.
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THE SEMANTICS OF THE SENTENCE (1)
PREDICATORS, PREDICATES AND PREDICATORS, PREDICATES AND ARGUMENTS ARGUMENTS THE SEMANTIC STRUCTURE OF A SIMPLE DECLARATIVE SENTENCE CAN BE DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF ITS PREDICATOR AND ITS ARGUMENTS. EACH SIMPLE DECLARATIVE SENTENCE HAS A PREDICATOR AND ONE OR MORE ARGUMENTS. THE FUNCTION OF THE PREDICATOR IN A SENTENCE IS TO INTERRELATE THE ARGUMENTS IN THAT SENTENCE.
THE CLASSES OF ITEMS WHICH CAN THE CLASSES OF ITEMS WHICH CAN FUNCTION AS THE PREDICATOR OF A FUNCTION AS THE PREDICATOR OF A SENTENCE ARE THE FOLLOWING: SENTENCE ARE THE FOLLOWING: 1. 1. LEXICAL VERBS: LEXICAL VERBS: WORK, SMILE, PLAY, WORK, SMILE, PLAY, WRITE WRITE 2. 2. THE VERB (BE) IN EQUATIVE SENTENCES THE VERB (BE) IN EQUATIVE SENTENCES
3. 3. ADJECTIVES OR ADJECTIVE PHRASES ADJECTIVES OR ADJECTIVE PHRASES OPERATING AS SUBJECT COMPLEMENTS OPERATING AS SUBJECT COMPLEMENTS 4. 4. NON NON REFERRING NOUNS OR NOUN PHRASES REFERRING NOUNS OR NOUN PHRASES OPERATING AS SUBJECT COMPLIMENTS OPERATING AS SUBJECT COMPLIMENTS 5. 5. SIMPLE OR COMPLEX PREPOSITIONS SIMPLE OR COMPLEX PREPOSITIONS OCCURRING AT THE BEGINNING OF PHRASES OCCURRING AT THE BEGINNING OF PHRASES FUNCTIONING AS SUBJECT COMPLEMENTS FUNCTIONING AS SUBJECT COMPLEMENTS
1. LEXICAL VERBS AS PREDICATORS 1. LEXICAL VERBS AS PREDICATORS THE GUESTS HAVE ARRIVED. THE PREDICATOR IS (ARRIVE) THE BABY IS SMILING. THE PREDICATOR IS (SMILE) A PERIOD OF POLITICAL UNREST FOLLOWED. THE PREDICATOR IS (FOLLOW)
WHEN IDENTIFYING THE PREDICATOR WHEN IDENTIFYING THE PREDICATOR OF A SENTENCE, THE BASE FORM OF OF A SENTENCE, THE BASE FORM OF THE LEXICAL VERB IS CONSIDERED THE LEXICAL VERB IS CONSIDERED
THE ROLE OF THE PREDICATOR IN A SENTENCE IS CONFINED TO LEXICAL VERBS. THE COPULATIVE VERB (BE) IN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES DOES NOT FUNCTION AS A PREDICATOR: HE IS VERY CLEVER. ALL MY FRIENDS ARE DOCTORS.
2. THE VERB (BE) IN EQUATIVE SENTENCES: 2. THE VERB (BE) IN EQUATIVE SENTENCES: THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES ARE ALL EQUATIVE SENTENCES: THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES ARE ALL EQUATIVE SENTENCES: LONDON IS THE CAPITAL OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. THAT TALL PERSON IN THAT CORNER IS JOHN. CAIRO IS THE LARGEST CITY IN AFRICA.
An EQUATIVE SENTENCE is one which is used to An EQUATIVE SENTENCE is one which is used to assert the identity of the assert the identity of the referents of two referring expressions, i.e. to referents of two referring expressions, i.e. to assert that two referring assert that two referring expressions have the same referent. expressions have the same referent. Example The following are equative sentences: Example The following are equative sentences: Tony Blair is the Prime Minister Tony Blair is the Prime Minister That woman over there is my daughter s teacher That woman over there is my daughter s teacher
A feature of many equative sentences is A feature of many equative sentences is that the order of the two referring that the order of the two referring expressions can be reversed without expressions can be reversed without loss of acceptability. loss of acceptability. Example: Example: The largest city in Africa is The largest city in Africa is Cairo Cairo Cairo is the largest city in Africa Cairo is the largest city in Africa
3. ADJECTIVES OR ADJECTIVE PHRASES 3. ADJECTIVES OR ADJECTIVE PHRASES OPERATING AS SUBJECT OPERATING AS SUBJECT COMPLEMENTS: COMPLEMENTS: THESE BOOKS ARE THESE BOOKS ARE EXPENSIVE SHE IS SHE IS EXTREMELY BEAUTIFUL EXTREMELY BEAUTIFUL. . HIS BROTHER IS HIS BROTHER IS VERY SMART EXPENSIVE. . VERY SMART. .
4. NON 4. NON REFERRING NOUNS OR NOUN PHRASES REFERRING NOUNS OR NOUN PHRASES OPERATING AS SUBJECT COMPLIMENTS: OPERATING AS SUBJECT COMPLIMENTS: *REFERRING NOUNS ARE THOSE NOUNS OR NOUN *REFERRING NOUNS ARE THOSE NOUNS OR NOUN PHRASES WHICH REFER TO A CERTAIN PERSON, PLACE OR PHRASES WHICH REFER TO A CERTAIN PERSON, PLACE OR THING. THING. *PROPER NOUNS OR OTHER DESCRIPTIVE EXPRESSIONS *PROPER NOUNS OR OTHER DESCRIPTIVE EXPRESSIONS WHICH HAVE THE FORCE OF PROPER NOUNS CAN NEVER WHICH HAVE THE FORCE OF PROPER NOUNS CAN NEVER FUNCTION AS THE PREDICATOR OF A SENTENCE. FUNCTION AS THE PREDICATOR OF A SENTENCE.
NON NON REFERRING NOUNS OR NOUN PHRASES REFERRING NOUNS OR NOUN PHRASES FUNCTIONING AS SUBJECT COMPLIMENTS HAVE THE FUNCTIONING AS SUBJECT COMPLIMENTS HAVE THE TYPICAL ROLE OF A PREDICATOR: TYPICAL ROLE OF A PREDICATOR: HER BROTHER IS HER BROTHER IS A GENIUS PROFESSOR CHOMSKY IS PROFESSOR CHOMSKY IS A GREAT LINGUIST GOLD IS GOLD IS A VALUABLE METAL A VALUABLE METAL. . A GENIUS. . A GREAT LINGUIST. .
5 5. SIMPLE OR COMPLEX PREPOSITIONS . SIMPLE OR COMPLEX PREPOSITIONS FUNCTIONING AS PREDICATORS: FUNCTIONING AS PREDICATORS: THE DIAMONDS THE DIAMONDS ARE ARE IN IN THAT HANDBAG. THAT HANDBAG. (SIMPLE PREPOSITION) PREPOSITION) THE BOOKS ARE THE BOOKS ARE ON ON THAT TABLE. THAT TABLE. (SIMPLE PREPOSITION) PREPOSITION) (SIMPLE (SIMPLE THOSE TREES ARE THOSE TREES ARE IN FRONT OF IN FRONT OF HER HOUSE. PREPOSITION) PREPOSITION) HER HOUSE. (COMPLEX (COMPLEX
PREDICATES ARE THOSE ITEMS (WORDS OR GROUPS OF WORDS) WHICH CAN FUNCTION AS THE PREDICATOR OF A SENTENCE. WORDS LIKE (ARRIVE, EAT, WRITE, SIMILAR, FATHER, BETWEEN) ARE PREDICATES BECAUSE THEY CAN FUNCTION AS THE PREDICATOR OF A SENTENCE. WORDS LIKE (A, AN, THE, AND, OR, BECAUSE,IF)ARE NOT PREDICATES BECAUSE THEY CANNOT FUNCTION AS THE PREDICATOR OF A SENTENCE.
There are two types of constituents in the semantic structure of a sentence: the predicator and the argument(s) A SIMPLE DECLARATIVE SENTENCE HAS ONLY ONE PREDICATOR BUT IT CAN HAVE ONE OR MORE THAN ONE ARGUMENT
The argument can be a subject, a direct The argument can be a subject, a direct object, an indirect object, subject object, an indirect object, subject complement or object complement. complement or object complement. SHE SHE IS WRITING IS WRITING LETTERS MY BROTHER MY BROTHER HAS GIVEN HAS GIVEN HER THAT TALL MAN IN THAT CORNER THAT TALL MAN IN THAT CORNER IS WE WE HAVE MADE HAVE MADE HIM HIMA CHAIRMAN THE GUESTS THE GUESTS HAVE ARRIVED. HAVE ARRIVED. LETTERS. . HER ALL THE BOOKS ALL THE BOOKS. . IS HIS FATHER HIS FATHER. . A CHAIRMAN. .
THE DEGREE OF A PREDICATE THE DEGREE OF A PREDICATE THE NUMBER OF ARGUMENTS IN A SENTENCE. * IF A PREDICATE CAN TAKE ONLY ONE ARGUMENT, IT IS KNOWN AS A ONE PLACE PREDICATE. * IF A PREDICATE CAN TAKE TWO ARGUMENTS, IT IS KNOWN AS A TWO PLACE PREDICATE. *IF A PREDICATE CAN TAKE THREE ARGUMENTS, IT IS KNOWN AS A THREE PLACE PREDICATE.
THERE ARE NO FOUR PLACE PREDICATES IN ENGLISH, NOR PERHAPS IN ANY OTHER LANGUAGE.
INTRANSITIVE VERBS ARE ONE INTRANSITIVE VERBS ARE ONE PLACE PREDICATES, ONLY ONE ARGUMENT IS PREDICATES, ONLY ONE ARGUMENT IS FOUND: FOUND: PLACE THE SUN THE SUN IS SHINING. IS SHINING. THE BABY THE BABY HAS SNEEZED. HAS SNEEZED.
MOST ADJECTIVES IN ENGLISH ARE ONE MOST ADJECTIVES IN ENGLISH ARE ONE PLACE PREDICATES: PLACE PREDICATES: THAT BOY THAT BOY IS CLEVER. IS CLEVER. THE LEAVES THE LEAVES ARE GREEN. ARE GREEN.
ADJECTIVES LIKE ( ADJECTIVES LIKE (DIFFERENT, SIMILAR, DIFFERENT, SIMILAR, IDENTICAL IDENTICAL) ARE USED AS TWO ) ARE USED AS TWO PLACE PREDICATES: PREDICATES: YOUR JOB YOUR JOB IS DIFFERENT FROM IS DIFFERENT FROM HIS. HER ANSWER HER ANSWER WAS SIMILAR TO WAS SIMILAR TO MINE THIS TOY THIS TOY IS IDENTICAL WITH IS IDENTICAL WITH THAT ONE PLACE HIS. MINE. . THAT ONE. .
MOST NOUNS ARE ONE MOST NOUNS ARE ONE PLACE PREDICATES: PREDICATES: JANE JANE IS A NURSE. IS A NURSE. HIS BROTHER HIS BROTHER IS A BUSINESSMAN. IS A BUSINESSMAN. PLACE
SOME NOUNS FUNCTION AS TWO SOME NOUNS FUNCTION AS TWO PLACE PREDICATES. THEY ARE INHERENTLY RELATIONAL PREDICATES. THEY ARE INHERENTLY RELATIONAL NOUNS LIKE (FATHER, MOTHER, SON, DAUGHTER, NOUNS LIKE (FATHER, MOTHER, SON, DAUGHTER, BROTHER, SISTER, NEIGHBOUR): BROTHER, SISTER, NEIGHBOUR): JOHN JOHN IS THE BROTHER OF IS THE BROTHER OF THE GOVERNOR OF THIS STATE THIS STATE. . SHE SHE IS THE SISTER OF IS THE SISTER OF MY BEST FRIEND YOUR FRIEND YOUR FRIEND IS THE NEIGHBOUR OF IS THE NEIGHBOUR OF MY ELDEST SISTER. SISTER. PLACE THE GOVERNOR OF MY BEST FRIEND. . MY ELDEST
MONOTRANSITIVE VERBS FUNCTION AS MONOTRANSITIVE VERBS FUNCTION AS TWO TWO PLACE PREDICATES: PLACE PREDICATES: HE HE IS READING IS READING A NOVEL THOSE BOYS THOSE BOYS ARE EATING ARE EATING APPLES HIS SISTER HIS SISTER IS STUDYING IS STUDYING MATHEMATICS A NOVEL. . APPLES. . MATHEMATICS. .
MOST PREPOSITIONS FUNCTION AS MOST PREPOSITIONS FUNCTION AS TWO TWO PLACE PREDICATES: PLACE PREDICATES: THE FILE THE FILE IS IN IS IN THE DRAWER THE DRAWER. . HIS COLLEGE HIS COLLEGE IS OUTSIDE IS OUTSIDE THE CITY HER HOUSE HER HOUSE IS NEAR IS NEAR THE MUSEUM. THE CITY. . THE MUSEUM.
UNLIKE MOST PREPOSITIONS, UNLIKE MOST PREPOSITIONS, (BETWEEN) FUNCTIONS AS THREE (BETWEEN) FUNCTIONS AS THREE PLACE PREDICATE: PLACE PREDICATE: LIBYA LIBYA IS BETWEEN IS BETWEEN EGYPT EGYPT AND AND ALGERIA ALGERIA. .
VERBS WHICH FUNCTION AS THREE VERBS WHICH FUNCTION AS THREE PLACE PREDICATES INCLUDE (GIVE, SEND, WRITE, LEND, PREDICATES INCLUDE (GIVE, SEND, WRITE, LEND, DENY, OWE): DENY, OWE): SHE SHE HAS SENT HAS SENT ME ME A DETAILED REPORT A DETAILED REPORT. . I I WILL WRITE WILL WRITE HER HER A LONG LETTER PLACE A LONG LETTER. .
SOME VERBS MAY FUNCTION AS TWO SOME VERBS MAY FUNCTION AS TWO PLACE PREDICATES AND ALSO AS THREE PREDICATES AND ALSO AS THREE PLACE PREDICATES: PREDICATES: PLACE PLACE HE HE IS WRITING IS WRITING A LETTER SHE SHE HAS WRITTEN HAS WRITTEN ME A LETTER. . ME A LETTER A LETTER. .
