Indirect Object: Difference between revisions
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<li>Usually, an indirect object can appear as <b>an oblique to-PP complement</b></li>. | <li>Usually, an indirect object can appear as <b>an oblique to-PP complement</b></li>. | ||
<!--Note: for many grammarians, such to-PPs are also often called indirect objects.--> | <!--Note: for many grammarians, such to-PPs are also often called indirect objects.--> | ||
<code>I passed Kim the salt. -> I passed the salt to Kim.</code> | <code>I passed Kim the salt. -> I passed the salt to Kim.</code><br> | ||
<code>I passed Kim the salt. -> *I passed Kim to the salt.</code> | <code>I passed Kim the salt. -> *I passed Kim to the salt.</code> | ||
<li>Passivization:</li> | <li>Passivization:</li> | ||
An indirect object can be passivized, with the direct object remaining an accusative NP. If the direct object is passivized, the indirect object must appear as an oblique complement.<br> | An indirect object can be passivized, with the direct object remaining an accusative NP. If the direct object is passivized, the indirect object must appear as an oblique complement.<br> | ||
<code>I passed Kim the salt. -> Kim was passed the salt.</code> | <code>I passed Kim the salt. -> Kim was passed the salt.</code><br> | ||
<code>I passed Kim the salt. -> The salt was passed *(to) Kim.</code> | <code>I passed Kim the salt. -> The salt was passed *(to) Kim.</code> | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
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<li>The indirect object is an NP in accusative case</li> | <li>The indirect object is an NP in accusative case</li> | ||
<li>It is a sister of V and NP and dominated by a VP.</li> | <li>It is a sister of V and NP and dominated by a VP.</li> | ||
</ul> | |||
Example: | Example: | ||
_S_ | _S_ | ||
Revision as of 15:02, 17 May 2019
The Indirect Object
Test for identifying indirect objects in English
- An indirect object requires the presence of a direct object.
- An indirect object is the NP that precedes the direct object.
- Usually, an indirect object can appear as an oblique to-PP complement .
- Passivization: An indirect object can be passivized, with the direct object remaining an accusative NP. If the direct object is passivized, the indirect object must appear as an oblique complement.
I passed [Kim]IObj [the ball]DObj
I passed Kim the salt. -> I passed the salt to Kim.I passed Kim the salt. -> *I passed Kim to the salt.
I passed Kim the salt. -> Kim was passed the salt.I passed Kim the salt. -> The salt was passed *(to) Kim.
Categories and structural position
- The indirect object is an NP in accusative case
- It is a sister of V and NP and dominated by a VP.
Example:
_S_
/ \
/ AuxP
/ / \
subj / ___VP___
/ / / \ \
/ / / ind.obj dir.obj
/ / / | \
NP Aux V NP __NP__
/__\ | | /__\ /______\
Pat will pass Kim the salt.