General Remarks

3.1.0.    In this chapter how words are built into bigger constructions, namely phrases, clauses and sentences are discussed in the same order.  The various types of these constructions and their formations are also discussed.

 

3.1.1.     Noun Phrase

            This section deals with the noun and noun combinations which constitute noun phrases.  Noun phrases are endocentric constructions.  A noun phrase consists of a noun as the head, with or without other elements.  If the elements which occur with the noun function as attributes, the construction is an attributive noun phrase and if the elements function as heads, on par, then the construction is a coordinate noun phrase.

 

            On the whole the number takes the noun phrase instead of the noun (sec. 2.2.2.).

 

3.1.1.1.     A noun phrase may consists of a single member – then it may be either a noun, or a pronoun, or a demonstrative or an interrogative, egs. :

(a)  Noun :                    áŋmɨŋ             ‘angmung’

                                    áŋ        ‘king’

                                    ka?ta               ‘people’

                                    ca?nu              ‘tiger’

(b)  Pronoun:                 təw                  ‘I’

                                    numan              ‘you’ (pl)

                                    e                      ‘he’

                                    ya                    ‘she’

(c)  Demonstrative :       təw                  ‘that’

                                    hà-təw             ‘this’

(d)  Interrogative :         həŋ                  ‘what’

                                    əw             ‘who’

            A noun phrase may consist of more than one member, as said above.  First attributive NPs are discussed followed by a note on coordinate NPs.

 

3.1.1.2.     Attributive Noun Phrases

            As stated above in this type of NPs, the Noun will be the head, followed or preceded or both by other elements called attributes.  As attributes to a NP many elements can occur.  They may be any of the following :

1.  demonstratives

2.  ordinal numerals

3.  possessives

4.  qualitative adjectives (adj₁)

5.  quantitative adjectives (adj₂)

6.  cardinal numerals

           

            Usually not all these attributes can occur in a single NP.  In fact occurrence of more than three attributes in a NP is uncommon.  Also there are certain mutual restrictions.

1.  Among the numerals either ordinals or cardinals can occur.

2.  Numeral and adj₂ are in complementary distribution.

 

The qualitative adjectives often find themselves in relative clause structure (sec. 3.2.3.1).  The presence of adjective marker marks relative clause and the absence of it marks ‘adjective’.  So here both are treated as belonging to one type.  Presence and absence of the marker will indicate the difference.

 

            The order of these attributes occurrence in a NP is as follows:

            ± dem ± ord. Num ± poss. + N ± ad_j1  ± adj₂ ± car. Num.

                  1               2               3                 4           5             6

           

            Though this order is preferred* it is possible to have 1) N-ord. Num; and 2) adj1-N.