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Discontinuous noun phrases in existential sentences in English and German

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

H. W. Kirkwood
Affiliation:
Department of Linguistic and Regional Studies, University of Surrey

Extract

In Kirkwood (1970) I noted that in the passivization of a sentence such as: (i) They issued a report on recent developments. i.e. (2) A report was issued on recent developments. a prepositional phrase on recent developments, which appears in some way to be attached to the subject noun phrase a report, may be detached from it in surface structure and placed after the verb. A similar phenomenon was observed in equivalent German sentences. Compare:

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1977

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