F0 Syntax, Part 2
2010-May-25, Tuesday 19:00![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
qiihoskehNote: "F0" is not the real name.
A basic noun phrase is definite in some way. This can be modified in several ways:
* Placing a quantifier (including cardinal and fractional numbers) before the noun produces a partitive phrase (which is indefinite, unless the quantifier is universal). Another quantifier may appear after the noun as usual, e.g.
--- 4 cat 5 hungry. "Four of the five cats are hungry."
* Placing an adjectival verb (one that can be compared) before the noun (or before a partitive phrase) produces a superlative phrase; no superlative affix is needed.
--- big cat sleepy. "The biggest cat is sleepy."
* Ordinals work like superlatives except that an ordinal number is used instead of an adjectival verb.
--- 1st cat hungry RSM black. "The first hungry cat is black."
* Likewise, a demonstrative may be used instead of an adjectival verb. There are two basic demonstratives: distal and proximal-medial, the latter of which can be further clarified by a pronominal suffix.
--- PROX house small DIST large. "This house is small and the one over there is large."
--- PROX-1 book new PROX-2 old. "This book (by me) is new and that one (by you) is old."
* Demonstratives, ordinals, and superlatives make the phrase definite again. To produce a non-partitive indefinite noun phrase, an indefinite determiner is placed in front of the noun phrase. There are two: a specific one and a non-specific one.
A basic noun phrase is definite in some way. This can be modified in several ways:
* Placing a quantifier (including cardinal and fractional numbers) before the noun produces a partitive phrase (which is indefinite, unless the quantifier is universal). Another quantifier may appear after the noun as usual, e.g.
--- 4 cat 5 hungry. "Four of the five cats are hungry."
* Placing an adjectival verb (one that can be compared) before the noun (or before a partitive phrase) produces a superlative phrase; no superlative affix is needed.
--- big cat sleepy. "The biggest cat is sleepy."
* Ordinals work like superlatives except that an ordinal number is used instead of an adjectival verb.
--- 1st cat hungry RSM black. "The first hungry cat is black."
* Likewise, a demonstrative may be used instead of an adjectival verb. There are two basic demonstratives: distal and proximal-medial, the latter of which can be further clarified by a pronominal suffix.
--- PROX house small DIST large. "This house is small and the one over there is large."
--- PROX-1 book new PROX-2 old. "This book (by me) is new and that one (by you) is old."
* Demonstratives, ordinals, and superlatives make the phrase definite again. To produce a non-partitive indefinite noun phrase, an indefinite determiner is placed in front of the noun phrase. There are two: a specific one and a non-specific one.
