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The Predicate -definition

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The Predicate -definition

Uploaded by

adddddriana
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The term predicate is used in two ways in linguistics and its subfields.

The first defines a predicate as


everything in a standard declarative sentence except the subject, and the other defines it as only the
main content verb or associated predicative expression of a clause. Thus, by the first definition, the
predicate of the sentence Frank likes cake is likes cake, while by the second definition, it is only the
content verb likes, and Frank and cake are the arguments of this predicate. The conflict between
these two definitions can lead to confusion.[1] The notion of a predicate in traditional grammar traces
back to Aristotelian logic.[2] A predicate is seen as a property that a subject has or is characterized by.
A predicate is therefore an expression that can be true of something.[3] Thus, the expression "is
moving" is true of anything that is moving. This classical understanding of predicates was adopted
more or less directly into Latin and Greek grammars; from there, it made its way into English
grammars, where it is applied directly to the analysis of sentence structure. It is also the
understanding of predicates as defined in English-language dictionaries. The predicate is one of the
two main parts of a sentence (the other being the subject, which the predicate modifies).[a] The
predicate must contain a verb, and the verb requires or permits other elements to complete the
predicate, or else precludes them from doing so. These elements are objects (direct, indirect,
prepositional), predicatives, and adjuncts:

She dances. — Verb-only predicate.

Ben reads the book. — Verb-plus-direct-object predicate.

Ben's mother, Felicity, gave me a present. — Verb-plus-indirect-object-plus-direct-object predicate.

She listened to the radio. — Verb-plus-prepositional-object predicate.

She is in the park. — Verb-plus-predicative-prepositional-phrase predicate.

She met him in the park. — Verb-plus-direct-object-plus-adjunct predicate.

The predicate provides information about the subject, such as what the subject is, what the subject
is doing, or what the subject is like. The relation between a subject and its predicate is sometimes
called a nexus. A predicative nominal is a noun phrase: in the sentence George III is the king of
England, the phrase the king of England is the predicative nominal. In English, the subject and
predicative nominal must be connected by a linking verb, also called a copula. A predicative
adjective is an adjective, such as in Ivano is attractive, attractive being the predicative adjective. The
subject and predicative adjective must also be connected by a copula.

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