3.1.5.2 Adjunction to phrase

We can exemplify adjunction to a phrase with a certain type of relative clause. Relative clauses are clauses which are used to modify nouns:

3.1.5.2 Adjunction to phrase

We will see in a later chapter that there is reason to believe that these types of relative clause are adjoined to the NP rather than the N':

3.1.5.2 Adjunction to phrase

In this case it is the NP that is recursive, the top NP node contains the relative clause and another NP. This means that there is room for further relative clauses:

3.1.5.2 Adjunction to phrase

Again, we could keep adding NPs and relative clauses indefinitely, each relative clause adjoined to a successively higher NP. Incidentally, note that here we see that adjuncts may appear on different sides of the element that they modify. While an AP adjunct precedes the N', the relative clause follows the P.

7.4 Relative Clauses

7.4.1 The position of the relative clause inside the NP

7.4.2 A comparison between relative and interrogative clauses

7.6 Conclusion

In this chapter we have introduced the final part of the clause structure of the English sentence. This part of the structure, built on top of the IP serves a number of purposes, but collectively seems to be to do with the syntactic arrangement of operators of one type or another. With wh-movement, both in interrogative clauses and relative clauses, the wh-element is an operator with either quantifier-like or anaphoric function. The interpretation of this element is dependent on movement which has a dual role, both to mark the clause as having a special interpretation (as an interrogative or relative) and to establish a relationship between that interpretation and a position in the clause itself. Hence, questions can be seen to be ‘about’ the subject or the clause, etc. and relatives can relate the modified noun to the object of the clause, etc. Focus and negative fronting may also have a similar function in that their interpretation is quantifier-like. Topicalisation, although not quantificational, may be seen as anaphoric in that the topic refers to some element established in the discourse.