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1. What is a constituent? Are there any tests to determine whether a certain string of words
makes up a constituent or not? Use these tests in order to decide whether the following
underlined words count as constituents:
(i) The little boy from next door fed the cat without a tail.
(ii) I believe that they are invited.
(iii) Joh is very fond of Mary.
(iv) He returned from his travels wiser than before.
(v) They arrived at the concert hall more quickly than they had expected.
(vi) Ordinary cats detest the smell of oranges.
(vii) Cats are funny animals; The cats are thirsty.
(viii) She will write a book; She said that she wrote a book.
(ix) She will write a book.
(x) They threw in the towel; They threw the towel in the closet.
A windpuff-bonnet of fa´wn-fro´ th
Turns and twindles over the broth
1
Of a pool so pitchblack, féll-frowning,
It rounds and rounds Despair to drowning.
There are many words in this poem whose meaning we don’t know, but, surprisingly,
establishing the word class to which they belong is unproblematic. Determine the word class of
each of the italicized words in the poem, and give reasons for your choices. (from Aarts, p. 50)
4. Discuss the ambiguities that arise in the examples and identify the linguistic elements
that give rise to the multiple interpretations. After you have dealt with the examples one by one
try to classify them in terms of the cause of the ambiguity (from Haegeman 2006)
(1) Jackie Child’s youngest daughter was just two when she was jailed for manslaughter nine
years ago. (Guardian, G2, 27.7.2001, p. 10, col. 1)
(2) If you feel threatened in a taxi, firmly ask the driver to stop and get out. (based on Guardian,
G2, 7.3.2003, p. 7, col. 2)
(3) “I can’t get used to wearing my engagement ring yet. The other day I even scratched my nose
with it because it’s so big – the ring I mean.” (based on “Diana, a tribute.” Sunday Times
Supplement, Style, 7.9.1997, p. 11)
(4) In the survey, 200 couples were asked to keep reading diaries for three weeks. (Guardian,
27.5.2002, p. 8, col. 8)
(5) We need more robust measures. (Headline, Guardian, 29.11.2003, p. 20)
(6) Error lets bad meat trader off the hook. (Headline, Guardian, 24.5.2004, p. 6, col. 7
(exercise from Haegeman 2006: 47)