Prototypical and non-prototypical noun phrases in Functional Discourse Grammar
Kees Hengeveld · 2008
The aim of this paper is to show how the various functions and forms of a noun phrase can be handled in Functional Discourse Grammar (FDG). In order to do so, I will take what may be called the standard, prototypical noun phrase as my point of departure. The standard noun phrase (i) has a nominal head; (ii) denotes a concrete, first-order entity; (iii) denotes by lexical means; and (iv) is used referentially.2 This type of noun phrase is discussed in section 3, after a brief introduction to FDG in section 2. Sections 4--7 then study noun phrases which lack one of the properties of standard noun phrases, in the order in which these properties are listed above. The conclusion will be that the separation between the interpersonal, the representational, and the morphosyntactic levels of analysis in FDG allows for a systematic treatment of standard and non-standard noun phrases.