Noun Modification in English: A Syntactic Analysis

Several classical syntactic frameworks, including phrase structure grammar, have failed to explain a variety of linguistic phenomena, including the existence of intermediary phrases that are smaller than a full phrase but larger than the head of a phrase and the distributional difference between nominal modifiers. The main aims of the current study are to determine how X-bar syntax depicts differences between noun modifiers and how analytical evidence supports such differences. In order to accomplish this goal, the author first compared and contrasted X-bar syntax and phrase structure grammar. Employing X-bar syntax theory, he then compared and contrasted prenominal and postnominal modifiers. The findings of the study revealed that X-bar syntax can explain a wide range of linguistic phenomena that other syntactic frameworks, particularly PS grammar, cannot. Keywords: constituency, prenominal modifiers, postnominal modifiers, adjuncts, complements, X-bar syntax