Nouns and Associated Word Classes

Abstract

In the last chapter the traditional word classes were enumerated and features by which they could be recognised were listed. Some classes are more closely linked together than others, and it is useful to consider such classes together, particularly as they are treated together in more recent grammatical models. For example, part of the definition of an adjective is that it is governed by a noun, and so adjectives are almost invariably found next to a noun. Similarly, an article will only be found where a noun follows. So adjectives and articles may profitably be considered with nouns. One of the definitions of a noun given in the previous chapter was that it could act as the subject of a sentence. If we consider the following sentences, we can see which words are linked with the noun which is the subject. In each sentence the italicised part is the subject, while the predicate, i.e. that part of the sentence which is not the subject, remains the same. To that extent the italicised units are interchangeable.