10. Reanalysis: problems of bracketing
The problem
10.1
What is the status of in, on, and out in the following sentences? Are they prepositions?
a.
b.
c.
Mary brought in the Times after breakfast.
His wife put on her bonnet.
She went out.
Three possible structures:
1.
VP
V
brought
PP
PP
P
NP
in
The Times
2.
after breakfast
VP
V
NP
PP
brought in
The Times
after breakfast
3.
VP
V
?
brought
in
NP
The Times
PP
after breakfast
but (in) is questionable?
structure (1) is incorrect whereas (2) is correct.
10.2 Phrasal verbs: how to distinguish them.
Verbs like brought in are phrasal verbs. in The Times is not a PP like after breakfast
There are 8 tests that to distinguish phrasal verbs:
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The first test: fronting
adjunct PP (after breakfast) can be fronted together unlike (in The Times)
a.
b.
Mary brought in the Times after breakfast.
After breakfast Mary brought in the Times
<adjunct PP>
c.
d.
Mary brought in the Times after breakfast.
* In The Times Mary brought after breakfast
<phrasal VP>
The second test: clefting
adjunct PP (after breakfast) can be clefted together unlike (in The Times)
a.
b.
Mary brought in the Times after breakfast.
It was after breakfast that Mary brought in the Times.
<adjunct PP>
c.
d.
Mary brought in the Times after breakfast.
* It was in The Times that Mary brought after breakfast.
<phrasal VP>
The third test: pro-form replacement
adjunct PP (after breakfast) can be replaced by an appropriate adjunct (e.g. then),
whereas (in The Times) cannot:
a.
e.
Mary brought in the Times after breakfast.
Mary brought in the Times then.
<adjunct PP>
f.
g.
Mary brought in the Times after breakfast.
* Mary brought then/there after breakfast.
<phrasal VP>
The forth test: questioning
adjunct PP (after breakfast) can be questioned by a wh-word, whereas (in The
Times) cannot:
a.
b.
Mary brought in The Times after breakfast.
When did Mary bring in The Times?
<adjunct PP>
c.
d.
Mary brought in The Times after breakfast.
* When/Where did Mary bring after breakfast?
<phrasal VP>
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The fifth test: adjunct insertion
adjunct PP (after breakfast) can be separated from the rest of the sentence by
adjunct insertion, whereas (in The Times) cannot:
a.
b.
Mary brought in The Times after breakfast.
Mary brought in The Times, as usual, after breakfast.
c.
d.
Mary brought in The Times after breakfast.
* Mary brought, as usual, in The Times after breakfast.
<adjunct PP>
<phrasal VP>
The sixth test: NP fronting
In the adjunct PP, (after breakfast) P + NP form a constituent in which the NP
cannot be fronted separately unlike (in + The Times) which do not form a
constituent:
a.
b.
Mary brought in The Times after breakfast.
* Breakfast Mary brought in The Times after.
<adjunct PP>
c.
d.
Mary brought in The Times after breakfast.
The Times Mary brought in after breakfast.
<phrasal VP>
The seventh test: NP clefting
In the adjunct PP, (after breakfast) P + NP form a constituent in which the NP
cannot be clefted separately unlike (in + The Times) which do not form a
constituent:
a.
b.
Mary brought in The Times after breakfast.
* It was breakfast that Mary brought in The Times after.
<adjunct PP>
c.
d.
Mary brought in The Times after breakfast.
It was The Times that Mary brought in after breakfast.
<phrasal VP>
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The eighth test: word order
In the adjunct PP, (after breakfast) P + NP form a constituent in which the NP
cannot be inverted in order with P unlike (in + The Times):
a.
b.
Mary brought in The Times after breakfast.
* Mary brought in The Times breakfast after.
<adjunct PP>
c.
d.
Mary brought in The Times after breakfast.
Mary brought The Times in after breakfast.
<phrasal VP>
The gapping test:
bring in is one constituent of a phrasal verb that can be deleted together:
a.
b.
Mary brought in The Times and Bill ///////////////the Guardian.
* Mary brought in The Times and Bill /////////////// in the Guardian
[NPMary] [VP[Vbrought in] [NPThe Times] [PPafter breakfast]]]
Tests
Front together
Cleft together
Replace together
Question together
Adjunct insertion
Front NP
Cleft NP
Change order
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Adjunct PP
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no
no
no
PP in VPphrasal
no
no
no
no
no
yes
yes
yes
4
10.3 Prepositional verbs: are they prepositional or phrasal verbs?
Prepositional verbs with PP complements:
The Vicar can rely on Mary Ann
[VP[V rely] [PP on Mary Ann]
But, they may also resemble transitive phrasal verbs:
[VP[V rely on] [NP Mary Ann]
Tests show that prepositional verbs have dual structures:
The first test: fronting
P+NP can be fronted together in prepositional VP but cannot in phrasal VP:
a.
b.
The Vicar can [Vrely] on Mary Ann
On Mary Ann the Vicar can [Vrely].
c.
d.
Mary [Vbrought in] the Times after breakfast.
* In The Times Mary brought after breakfast
<prepositional VP>
<phrasal VP>
The second test: clefting
P+NP can be focused together as a cleft in prepositional VP but cannot in phrasal
VP:
a.
b.
The Vicar can rely on Mary Ann
It is on Mary Ann that the Vicar can [Vrely].
c.
d.
Mary [Vbrought in] the Times after breakfast.
* It was in The Times that Mary brought after breakfast.
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<prepositional VP>
<phrasal VP>
5
The third test: pro-form replacement
Replacing PP by a pro-form is not possible after the prepositional VP similarly as
phrasal VP:
a.
b.
The Vicar can rely on Mary Ann
* The Vicar can rely then/there.
c.
d.
Mary brought in the Times after breakfast.
* Mary brought then/there after breakfast.
<prepositional verb>
<phrasal VP>
Likewise, in both prepositional VPs and phrasal VPs replacing NP by a pro-form is
possible:
e.
f.
The Vicar can [Vrely on] [NPMary Ann]
The Vicar can rely on her.
g.
h.
Mary [Vbrought in] [NPthe Times] after breakfast.
Mary brought it in after breakfast.
<prepositional verb>
<phrasal VP>
The forth test: questioning
Both PP in prepositional VPs and phrasal VPs cannot be questioned by wh-item:
a.
b.
The Vicar can rely on Mary Ann.
* When/where can the Vicar rely?
c.
d.
Mary brought in The Times after breakfast.
* When/Where did Mary bring after breakfast?
<prepositional verb>
<phrasal VP>
Likewise, in both prepositional VPs and phrasal VPs questioning the NP is
possible:
a.
b.
Mary [Vbrought in] The Times after breakfast.
What did Mary bring in after breakfast?
c.
d.
The Vicar can [Vrely on] Mary Ann
Who(m) can the Vicar rely on?
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<phrasal VP>
<prepositional verb>
6
The fifth test: adjunct insertion
PPs in prepositional VPs can be separated from the rest of the sentence by an
adjunct unlike PPs in phrasal VPs:
a.
b.
The Vicar can [Vrely] on Mary Ann
The Vicar can rely whole-heartedly on Mary Ann
c.
d.
Mary [Vbrought in] The Times after breakfast.
* Mary brought early in The Times after breakfast.
<prepositional verb>
<phrasal VP>
The sixth test: NP fronting
Similar to phrasal VPs, NP in prepositional VPs can be fronted:
a.
b.
The Vicar can rely on [NPMary Ann]
[NPMary Ann] the Vicar can [Vrely on].
c.
d.
Mary brought in The Times after breakfast.
The Times Mary brought in after breakfast.
<prepositional verb>
<phrasal VP>
The seventh test: NP clefting
Similar to phrasal VPs, NP in prepositional VPs can be clefted:
a.
b.
The Vicar can rely on [NPMary Ann]
It is [NPMary Ann] that the Vicar can [Vrely on].
c.
d.
Mary brought in The Times after breakfast.
It was [NPThe Times] that Mary brought in after breakfast.
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<prepositional verb>
<phrasal VP>
7
The eighth test: word order
In prepositional VP, the word order of PP cannot be changed to NP + P as opposed
to phrasal verbs that can have the order changed from P + NP to NP + P:
a.
b.
The Vicar can rely [Pon] [NPMary Ann].
* The Vicar can rely [NPMary Ann] [Pon].
c.
d.
Mary brought [Pin] [NPThe Times] after breakfast.
Mary brought [NPThe Times] [Pin] after breakfast.
<prepositional verb>
<phrasal VP>
The gapping test:
Prepositional verbs are two words (two constituents) that cannot be deleted
together whereas phrasal verbs are one constituent of a phrasal verb that can be
deleted together:
a.
b.
c.
The Vicar can rely on Mary Ann and Mrs. Carey can [Vrely] on Philip.
The Vicar can rely on Mary Ann and Mrs. Carey //////////// on Philip.
* The Vicar can rely on Mary Ann and Mrs. Carey //////////// Philip.
[S [NP The Vicar] [VP[AUX can] [Vrely][PPon Mary Ann]]]
d.
e.
f.
Mary brought in The Times and Bill brought inthe Guardian.
Mary brought in The Times and Bill ///////////////the Guardian.
* Mary brought in The Times and Bill /////////////// in the Guardian
[S [NPMary] [VP[Vbrought in] [NPThe Times] [PPafter breakfast]]]
Tests
Front together
Cleft together
Replace together
Question together
Adjunct insertion
Front NP
Cleft NP
Change order
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PP in VPprepositional
yes
yes
no
no
yes
yes
yes
no
PP in VPphrasal
no
no
no
no
no
yes
yes
yes
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10.4 Phrasal-perpositional verbs and prepositional idioms: do they have one
structre?
Phrasal-perpositional verbs are combination of phrasal verbs and prepositional
verbs:
a.
We have put up with William’s rude behavior too long.
Like phrasal and prepositional verbs, phrasal-perpositional verbs undergo
passivisation:
<phrasal verb>
b. Mary Ann brought in The Times.
c. The Times was brought in by Mary Ann.
<prepositional verb>
d. The Vicar can rely on Mary Ann.
e. Mary Ann can be relied on by the Vicar.
<phrasal-perpositional verbs>
f. We have put up with William’s rude behavior too long.
g. William’s rude behavior has been put up with too long.
Two possible structures:
VP
V
PP
P
put up
NP
William’s rude behavior
with
V
NP
VP
Prepositional idioms are consist of V + NP + P
Examples: take advantage of, make mention of, make use of, pay attention to, etc.
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Two passives are allowed:
a.
b.
c.
Everyone took advantage of her goodness.
Advantage was taken of her goodness.
Her goodness was taken advantage of.
Three possible structures:
a.
[VP [V took] [NP advantage] [PPof her goodness]]
b.
[VP [V took advantage] [PPof her goodness]]
c.
[VP [V took advantage of] [NPher goodness]]
Reading for this lecture:
Wekker&Haegeman (1985: Ch.6)
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