LING 1000 Lecture 17: Topic 3.6
17 Apr 2017
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Document Summary
As mentioned before, a constituent needs a head. The head of a phrase has restrictions as to what it allows in a phrase. For example, a vp contains a v as a head, and it may require other constituents as well. Consider this sentence: the child put the puppy in the garden. In this sentence the verb put needs something to complete it. Verbs that need an object to complete the meaning are called transitive verbs. Verbs that behave that way include find, take, grab, etc. Verbs that do not need an object are intransitive verbs, like sleep. But we can say i sleep soundly in the winter. The last part soundly in the winter is not necessary to complete the meaning of the verb. When constituents need something to complete them, they select complements. If the information is not required, they select adjuncts.
