Nouns and Noun Phrases - University of Macau Library

8.2. Predicative use of the noun phrase
Syntactic uses of noun phrases 1085
This section discusses the use of the noun phrase as a °complementive (predicative
complement of the verb) in predicative constructions such as the copular and the
vinden ‘consider’ construction. We will start by discussing the “normal” predicative
use of noun phrases in 8.2.1. This is followed in 8.2.2 by a discussion of the more
special behavior of noun phrases denoting professions/social functions. Section
8.2.3 concludes with a discussion of examples like het/dat zijn aardige jongens
‘It/That are nice boys’, which are special given that a singular neuter pronoun may
function as °logical SUBJECT of a plural nomimal predicate.
8.2.1. Nominal predicates
Nominal complementives can be divided into three types. In the first type, the
nominal predicate and its logical SUBJECT are in a set/subset relation: the latter is
argued to be part of the set denoted by the former. In this type the nominal predicate
is typically preceded by an indefinite article (een or ∅). In the second type, the
nominal predicate and its SUBJECT are identified: the latter is claimed to be identical
to the former. In this case the predicate can be preceded by a wider set of
determiners, including the definite article de/het and demonstrative and possessive
pronouns. In the third type the predicate is a bare noun phrase, that is, not preceded
by a determiner at all. This type usually occurs with verbs that select a predicate
introduced by als or tot; bare nominal predicates may sometimes also occur in
copular or vinden-constructions, but since these cases exhibit various special
properties, we will discuss them separately in Section 8.2.2.
(85) a. Jan is een goede vriend van mij. [set/subset]
Jan is a good friend of mine
b. Jan is de directeur van deze school. [identificational]
Jan is the director of this school
c. Zij zullen Jan tot voorzitter benoemen. [als/tot + bare noun]
they will Jan to chairman appoint
‘They will appoint Jan as chairman.’
I. The set/subset relation
In the copular construction and the vinden-construction, a nominal predicate denotes
a non-singleton set and it is claimed that the SUBJECT of the predicate is part of this
set. In the copular constructions in the (a)-examples in (86) the SUBJECT of the
predicate is the subject of the clause, and in the vinden-constructions in the
(b)-examples it is the accusative object of the clause. These examples also show that
the nominal predicate and its SUBJECT agree in number. Example (86c) is added to
show that, for some unknown reason, resultative constructions with a “truly”
nominal predicate are not common; resultative verbs generally take a nominal
predicate introduced by als or tot; cf. Subsection III below.
(86) a. Jan is [PRED een aardige jongen].
Jan is a nice boy
a′. Jan en Peter zijn [PRED ∅ aardige jongens].
Jan and Peter are nice boys