(redirected from SyntacticTheory.TGIObject)

_{Syntactic Theory}

The Indirect Object

Test for identifying indirect objects in English

• An indirect object requires the presence of a direct object.
• An indirect object is the NP that precedes the direct object.
  I passed Kim_indir.obj [the ball]_dir.obj
• Usually, an indirect object can appear as an oblique to-PP complement.
  Note: for many grammarians, such to-PPs are also often called indirect objects.
  • I passed Kim the salt. -> I passed the salt to Kim.
  • I passed Kim the salt. -> *I passed Kim to the salt.
• Passivization: An indirect object can be passivized, with the direct object remaining an accusative NP. If the direct object is passivized, the indirect object must appear as an oblique complement.
  • I passed Kim the salt. -> Kim was passed the salt.
  • I passed Kim the salt. -> The salt was passed *(to) Kim.

Categories and structural position

• The indirect object is an NP in accusative case
• It is a sister of V and NP and dominated by a VP.

              _S_
             /   \
            /     AuxP
           /     /    \
        subj    /   ___VP___
         /     /   /  \     \
        /     /   / ind.obj dir.obj
       /     /   /    |       \
     NP   Aux   V    NP      __NP__
    /__\   |    |   /__\    /______\
    Pat  will pass  Kim     the salt.

Read further on other grammatical functions:

• The Predicate
• The Subject
• The Direct Object
• The Predicative Complement
• The Oblique Complement
• The Modifier

Categories: Glossary