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3. NOMINAL COMPLEMENTATION AND ARGUMENT STRUCTURE<br />

b. an Oxford student<br />

As Fanego (1998) shows, from EModE pre-head noun dependents functioning as<br />

the subject argument of a gerund (see [69] below) can also be found. Occasionally, we also<br />

come accross nouns functioning as pre-head dependents which correspond to the semantic<br />

object of the verbal gerund (cf. [69]). They were not very frequent in EModE due to the<br />

fixation of (S)VO in all kinds of clauses (Fanego 1998: 94). However, they were relatively<br />

frequent in ME, when the OV order was still common (see Tajima 1985a: 45-60, Visser<br />

1963-1973: §§1108ff).<br />

(69) no Exceptions were to be taken to them, but only for their upright<br />

Honesties, notwithstanding the Attorney prompting Sergeant Dier<br />

(Fanego 1998: 91)<br />

(70) (...) and herein you shall finde that an inch straightning, or an inch<br />

inlarging, will adde or abate at least halfe a foote in his full and<br />

direct stroake. (Fanego 1998: 94)<br />

3.3.1.5. Adverbs and adverbial phrases<br />

Pullum and Huddleston (2002a: 563) point out that the defining feature of adverbs is that<br />

they “characteristically modify verbs and other categories except nouns, especially<br />

adjectives and adverbs.” However, locative and temporal adverbials in post-head position<br />

can also modify nouns, both in PDE (see [71a] and [71b]) and in previous stages of the<br />

language ([71c]; see Jack 1988: 56; Fanego 1996: 109).<br />

(71) a. the shop on the corner<br />

b. circumstances today<br />

c. his tenantʒ there<br />

Apart from locative and temporal adverbials, Alexiadou and Grimshaw (2008) also<br />

concede that complex event nominals can contain some adverbs, though only in post-head<br />

position as well (see [72a] and [72b] below).<br />

(72) a. The arrival of the trains promptly at the station...<br />

b. His careful destruction of the documents immediately....<br />

74

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