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Phrases

Phrases

We speak (and read) in chunks!Words do not occur individually!“Information units”

Linguistic input structured grammatically during reading and comprehension

Lg NO beads on a string!(Biber et al. 1999)

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Phrases

Key word: higher unit

The opposition is demanding a more representative government

[The opposition] [is demanding] [a more representative government]

Phrases

“movement test”

[The opposition] [is demanding] [a more representative government]

[A more representative government][is demanded][by the opposition]

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What is a phrase?

Eng.“phrase” ≠ It. “frase”Eng. “phrase” = It. “sintagma”

Group of words

• that belong together• syntactically related• that have a function• labelled according to their function• acting as a single part of speech• basic building blocks for larger syntactic constructions (i.e. clauses & sentences)

Phrases

Noun phraseVerb phraseAdjective phraseAdverb phrasePrepositional phrase

☺ head↓

central elementchief wordcan stand alone – must be present

“PARSING”

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Noun phrase (NP)

the large apples that you ate with your nice friendthe large apples that you atethe large apples on the tablethe large applesthe apples

apples

☺ = noun

Verb phrase (VP)

gowenthas goneis goinghave been goingshould goshould have goneshould have been going……

☺ = lexical verb

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Adjective phrase (AdjP)

greenamazingly greenamazingly light green

Adjectives can take complements:

1) very anxious about Kate’s future2) very anxious to please you3) very anxious that nobody should accuse him

☺ = adjective

Adverb phrase (AdvP)

gentlyvery gentlyamazingly well

very soon (time)right here (place)extremely carefully (manner)

Adverbs can take complements:

So quickly you don’t even enjoy itMuch more quickly than envisaged

☺ = adverb

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Prepositional phrase (PP)

in troublein big trouble, in very big trouble

about the shopping centrebehind youon it…

☺ = preposition

Prep + [NP]Prep + [prepositional complement]

NB often embedded in larger phrases

Prepositional phrase (PP)

Prepositions also take complement clauses (wh-clauses & -ing clauses:

Instructions [on where they are used]It was hard to live in Missouri [after spending so much time in California]

… and they can be extended:

back to the fiftiesdown in the southexactly at noonnearly till elevenconsiderably to the right

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Phrases in context

Far more one-word phrases in conversation

• info not tightly packed• not planned• short clauses

(Biber et al. 1999: 117)

Phrases in context

Higher proportion of complex phrasesin academic prose and news

• higher lexical density• deal w/complex subject matter• have high info load• long clauses

(Biber et al. 1999: 117)

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Lexical density

Written language > much higher ratio of lexical items: twice as many!

Lexical (content) words

Grammatical (function) words

(N, V, Adj., Adv), i.e. “main carriers of meaning in a text” (Biber et al. 1999: 55)

“provide the mortar* which binds the text together” (Biber at al. 1999: 55) *relationship

(Ballard, 2007)

Written language: lexical density

Written lg: denseSpoken lg: sparse

Halliday, M.A.K. 1985. Spoken and Written Language. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (ch. 5)

M.A.K. Halliday(born 1925)

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WRITTEN-LIKE SPOKEN-LIKE

A grey-faced Dr Coffin unlocked the door

Dr Coffin unlocked the door, and as he did so his face was grey

Lexical: 6 Gramm.: 2

Lexical: 6 Gramm.: 8

Halliday 1985: 62

Phrases in use: shop names!

FoodHEALTHMATTERSJUST NATUTALNATURAL NATURALPARADISE FOODSART OF HEALTHGREENS FOODS

FloristsFLOWERSTALK (London)DOUBLE DUTCHDAISY CHAINFOREVER GREENFORGET-ME-NOTGARDEN OF EDENSECRET GARDENWHITE ROSE FLORISTS

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Readings:

Ballard, Kim 2007. The Frameworks of English. New York: Palgrave.

> Phrases

Biber, D., Conrad, S. & Leech, G. (2002). Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English. London: Longman

> Ch. 3, Introduction to phrases and clauses> Ch. 4, Nouns, pronouns and the simple noun phrase