6.2.
|
The Subject Phrase
|
The subject phrase
is expounded by a noun phrase which consists either
of a head noun or a head noun and one or more
attributes preceding and/or following the head
noun. The nominal piece which is built up of two
or more head nouns linked by a coordinating conjunction
is a coordinate noun phrase. A noun phrase formed
by apposition or juxtaposition, called the appositive
noun phrase, may be coordinate or attributive.
A noun phrase which is neither coordinate nor
attributive is rare. One such rare case is the
noun phrase composed of two nouns, conjoined by
the subordinating conjunction ana ‘but’.
|
|
4. |
ai1
{ mo-e2
ana3
} |
pfo4
not2
I1
but3
he4
|
| |
{
ma2,3
} |
|
|
6.2.1.
|
The Attributive Noun Phrase
|
|
An Attributive NP is built up of a single head noun and one or
more ____ite attributes that may precede or follow the hea dnoun. |
In the Noun + Attribute constructions, the attribute that follows
the noun may be an adjective, a numeral, a quantifier, a
demonstrative.
|
|
5. |
1. |
ocü1
kajü2 |
big
2 house1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2. |
ocü1
kajü2
padi3
|
four3
big2 houses1
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
3. |
ocü1
kajü padi3
 hopfü4
|
| |
|
all
4 (the)
four 3
big 2
houses1
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
4. |
ocü
kajü padi lokhru hopfü
|
| |
|
all those
four big houses |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
5. |
osi
kaxi |
two dogs
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
6. |
larübvü
kapoko |
some books
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
7. |
raho
kakra kosü |
three white
birds |
|
As is clear, more than one attribute may be present at the same
time. The concurrence of attributes has the following constraints
: |
a-Nonplural pronouns can not be heads of attributive noun phrases
except possibly with adnominal participial attributes.
|
b-When the head is a plural pronoun, it can be modified either by
a numeral or a quantifier.
|
| 6.
|
1. |
ota1
padi2
|
four2
of us (excl. prn. & excl. pl.)1
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
2. |
nikhrumüi1
hopfü2
|
all2
of you (incl. pl.)
1 |
|
c-Logical restrictions like when the noun ends with the GN marker
followed by the individuate, the noun is partially closed. Only
an adjective, among post nominal attributes, can occur in such
nominal pieces.
|
| 7.
|
1. |
larübvü-na-i
|
‘the book’ |
| |
|
book GN ind |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
2. |
larübvü1
kazhü-na-i2
|
the good2
book1 |
|
An attributive noun phrase in which the attribute precedes the
head noun is either an adnominal participle or a genitival phrase,
the genitival being either a noun or a pronoun.
|
|
8. |
1. |
sodu1
vu-ko-ru 2
minisar3 |
| |
|
(the) minister3
who will come2
tomorrow 1 |
| |
|
|
|
2. |
|
idu1
ai-no2
soha-ko-o3
okhe4
|
| |
|
(the) tiger
4
that3
I2
killed 3
yesterday1
|
| |
|
|
|
3. |
|
lohro-no1
pfo2
vu-ko-o3
larübvü4
|
| |
|
(the) book(s)3
that2
Lohro1
brought2
|
| |
|
|
|
4. |
|
ata-yi1
modo pi-ko-ru2
mikrümüi3
|
| |
|
(the) Meitei(s)3
who will teach2
us (excl. pl.& incl. prn.)
1 |
| |
|
|
|
5. |
|
ayi1
akuo2
ta-ko-o3
nieopüi
4 |
| |
|
(the) girl4
who went 3
with2
me1
|
| |
|
|
|
6. |
|
 aiho-no1
da-ko-o2
osi-na-i3
|
| |
|
the dog3
that2
Daiho1
beat2
|
| |
|
|
|
7 |
a. |
iniu
‘village’ |
| |
|
|
|
|
b. |
ata1
iniu2
our (excl. prn. & excl. pl.)1
village2 |
| |
|
|
|
8 |
a. |
ocü
‘house’ |
| |
|
|
|
|
b. |
a1
cü2
my1
house2
|
| |
|
|
|
9 |
a. |
larücü
‘school’ |
| |
|
|
|
|
b. |
losü1
larücü2
Los*’s1
school2
|
| |
|
|
|
10 |
a. |
ocümüi
‘wife’ |
| |
|
|
|
|
b. |
caakho1
cümüi2 ‘Chakho’s1
wife2
|
|
There may be more than one noun in genitival relationship with the
head noun.
|
