The

THERE

Transformation

It implies the reordering of the Subject NP as to some verbal part of the VP. This reordering automatically causes another operation, i.e. the insertion of the dummy subject [T !"!#. The meaning of the sentence is not affected. e.g. A long discussion followed. There followed a long discussion. In most of the cases this rule is optional. There are cases in $hich this rule is obligatory% e.g. e.g. In the so&called 'bare e(istential sentences', i.e. sentences containing an e(istential verb, such as )*!+, $hich lac, an adverbial of place - time, li,e in% * Two bags are. ). bare e(istential sentence+ There are two bags. In sentences that contain certain objects governed by an idiomatic preposition There is a problem with her. There is a knack to it. The domain of THERE Insertion /hen the sentence contains the verb [*!# as an e(istential verb, as an au(iliary of aspect or as an au(iliary for the passive voice. e.g. Some keys are on the desk, too. A girl is waiting outside. There are some keys on the desk, too. There is a girl waiting outside.

A student was invited to the party. There was a student invited to the party. Sentences containing other verbs of e(istence - position% !0IST, 1IV!, 2/!11, ST3N2, 1I!, "!43IN. e.g. An old man lived at the edge of the forest. There lived a man at the edge of the forest. /ith verbs of motion - direction% 564!, 76, /318, "9N, :1;, 3PP"635 , etc. An old woman walked along the river. There walked an old woman along the river. /ith verbs suggesting the beginning of an action% 6559", 3PP!3", 3"IS!, 2!V!16P, !4!"7!, e.g. 3PP!N, etc. There arose a conflict between them. A conflict arose between them.

e.g.

In a large majority of cases, the rule applies to intransitive verbs. If the verbs T6 *! is copulative, the rule does N6T apply. e.g. Mary is a student. There is Mary a student. The reason for this impossibility is the fact that the verb is immediately follo$ed by a NP, so the position into $hich the subject might be moved is already filled.

6ne condition for the application of the transformation is the indefiniteness of the subject, i.e. the subject NP has to be determined by an indefinite article or by some other indefinite determiner )S64!, 3N;, N6, 43N;, !N697 , etc+. There is a cat in the basket. There were some two several cats in the basket. If the subject has a definite determiner, the transformation cannot ta,e place. e.g. e.g. The keys are on my desk. vs. * There are the keys on my desk. That is $hy subjects e(pressed by indefinite pronouns accept this transformation. There is nothing wrong. There wasn!t anything important" The definite article may appear in the subject NP in a limited number of cases% )<+ If the definite article is part of the determiner phrase )the other, the same+% e.g. There was the same man in front of the house. There is the other person to consider. )=+ If the subject has a post&modifier. e.g. There is now the opportunity of finding a new #ob. There is the possibility that he might find another #ob. )>+ /hen the subject is modified by an adjective in the superlative degree, and having an absolute meaning. e.g. There!s the brightest student sitting in the last row. )the brightest . a very bright+ )?+ If there is a @uestion that re@uires supplementary information, then the ans$er offers this information. e.g. A$hat else was there on the desk%& 'There was the bag.& The transformation consists of 2 operations: A. The movement of the deep structure Subject NP $ithin the VP, to the position of a non&term. If the verb is the e(istential *! or if the sentence contains the au(iliary *!, the subject is moved after [*!#. If the verb is a le(ical verb, the subject is moved after the notional )main+ verb. This movement is preceded by Affix Attachment . . The insertion of the formal $ord T !"! in the position of subject, left empty by the <st operation. The 4orphological "ules are applied in the end. e.g. A student is in the first row. is a student in the first row. There is a student in the first row. A man was talking in the hall. was a man talking in the hall. There was a man talking in the hall. Another train arrives arrives another train. There arrives another train.

The status of THERE

It is a meaningless dummy $ord, difficult to classify morphologically. It is an unstressed $ord $hich has nothing to do $ith the adverb of place T()*), that is usually stressed. They may even co&occur% e.g. There is a bag +over, there.

!yntactic function and behaviour of THERE There are several reasons to ta,e T !"! as a subject% <. In @uestions [T !"!# behaves just li,e any subject e(pressed by a noun - pronoun, namely in @uestions )including tag @uestions+ it undergoes inversion. e.g. There is a bag on the desk. -s there a bag on the desk%

There has been a lot of discussion about it. (as there been .% There are some spiders in this room, aren&t there% =. [T !"!# occurs as subject not only in finite clauses, but also in non&finite clauses. e.g. /or there to be so little money left is disgusting. )infinitival clause+ There being so little money left disgusts me. )gerundial clause+ There being so little money left, - had to borrow some. )participial clause . absolute participial construction+ >. [T !"!# undergoes "aisingB it applies in sentences containing the verbs S!!4 C e.g. That a man is outside seems. That there is a man outside seems. -t seems that there is a man outside. There seems to be a man outside. ?. [T !"!# occurs in emphatic negative sentences )opened by a negative $ord+. e.g. There has never been such an opposition. 0ever has there been such an opposition. There was hardly any money left. (ardly was there any money left. D. [T !"!# occurs in short ans$ers introduced by so. e.g. 'There is a lot of noise.& 'So there is.& T !"! has most of the subject properties e(cept for one% it doesnEt govern subject F verb agreementB the agreement is dictated by the deep structure subject. e.g. There is a book on the table. )agreement in the singular+ There are several books on the table. )agreement in the plural+ o$ever, in collo@uial speech people treat [T !"!# as if it $as the subject -T, so the verb is in the singular, even if the deep structure subject is in the plural. e.g. There is some books on the table. 3PP!N.

Parallel structures with THERE & IT

There are conte(ts $hich allo$ either the use of T !"! or the use of IT, as both of them anticipate the deep structure subject. There are certain differences bet$een the t$o% <. There introduces a subject e(pressed by a NPB -t introduces a subject e(pressed by a clause%

e.g.

-t!s time we left. ). The time for us to leave has come.+ There is time we needn!t leave now. ). /e have plenty of time.+

=. IT usually anticipates a definite subjectB T !"! usually anticipates an indefinite subject. The construction $ith IT may be used to offer further information about the subject. e.g. There is a girl outside. -t is the girl - told you about. >. IT may have a demonstrative meaningB T !"! merely introduces a NP. e.g. -t is a book. There is a book on the shelf. ?. Impersonal constructions $ith the dummy subject [IT# may have alternative forms $ith [T !"!# as dummy subject )T !"! introduces a NP+. e.g. It rained heavily last night. . There $as a heavy rain yesterday. It sno$ed heavily in the mountains. . There $as a heavy sno$ in the mountains.