_{Syntactic Theory}

The Modifier

Properties of adjuncts/modifiers:

• obligatoriness: modifiers are optional.
• iterability: there can be an arbitrary number of modifiers.
• constancy of semantic contribution: the relation between the modifier and the head is always the same.
• semantic: indicates some further properties of the head.
• the modifier is only compatible with heads of a particular class.
• word order: modifiers are further away from the head than complements
• word order: in English, modifiers can occur on either side of the head (green car in the garage, quickly [talked to Jim] in the hallway)
• pronominalization:
  • verb: the pro-VP forms do so/do the same thing can combine with a modifier, but not with a complement.
  • noun: the pro-N'-form one can combine with a modifier, but not with a complement.

Related pages:

• other grammatical functions: head, complement, specifier
• modifiers in the clause

Categories: Glossary