Nouns and Noun Phrases - University of Macau Library

Syntactic uses of noun phrases 1079
phrases, which, in turn, scramble more often than indefinite noun phrases. Further,
we have seen that the domains in which scrambling applies differ for the different
types of noun phrases. Indefinite noun phrases can cross certain VP-adverbs but not
clause adverbs; definite noun phrases may cross clause adverbs when they are part
of the presupposition of the clause but cannot readily cross adverbs that precede
these clause adverbs; definite pronouns, finally, must precede the clause adverbs as
well as the adverbs preceding them.
In the literature, the fact that scrambling of nominal objects may involve
different domains of application is not generally taken into account, with the result
that the occurrence of a presuppositional definite noun phrase after any adverb is
sometimes taken as counterevidence for the claim that such noun phrases must
scramble; cf. De Hoop (2000/2003) and Van Bergen & De Swart (2010). The
primeless examples in (69) suggest that this view is too simple: scrambling of the
definite noun phrase can only be observed when a clause adverb like waarschijnlijk
is present (or discourse particles like maar; cf. Zwart 2011). It therefore does not
come as a surprise either that the primed examples in (69) allow two readings: one
in which the definite noun phrase is part of the focus and one in which it is part of
the presupposition of the clause.
(69) a. Jan zal morgen waarschijnlijk lezen.
Jan will tomorrow the book probably read
‘Jan will probably read the book tomorrow.’
a′. Jan zal morgen het boek lezen.
b. Jan zal thuis waarschijnlijk lezen.
Jan will at.home the book probably read
‘Jan will probably read the book at home.’
b′. Jan zal thuis het boek lezen.
Although we cannot exclude beforehand the possibility that presuppositional
definite noun phrases may fail to scramble under certain conditions, we believe that
we can only gain a deeper insight in the factors involved when we first investigate
more thoroughly the properties of the adverbs that may precede them. This is
clearly a topic for future research.
8.1.4. Subject noun phrases in the expletive construction
°Expletive constructions are typically used to introduce a new entity into the
domain of discourse. Generally speaking, these constructions are only possible
when the subject is an indefinite or °weak noun phrase; this is normally referred to
as the DEFINITENESS EFFECT. This is illustrated in (70): whereas the expletive
construction with the indefinite noun phrase een man in (70a) is perfect, the
corresponding construction with the definite noun phrase de man in (70b) is
ungrammatical.
(70) a. Er staat een man voor de deur.
there stands a man in.front.of the door
b. *Er staat de man voor de deur.
there stands the man in.front.of the door