Nouns and noun phrases
← Course contents · Using LLMs in this course
Gigas Devil, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
There is no perfect definition of noun, just as there is no perfect definition of soup, but we can get very close, as long as we are willing to hedge with words like can, almost, and typically. Examples follow below.
I will use words here that have not yet been defined. This may be frustrating, but it is inevitable. Syntax is a system, and its elements can only be defined in relation to each other. The meaning of the other words will become clear soon.
- Nouns can denote almost anything from objects to actions to characteristics.
- A word that denotes a person, place, or thing is a noun (but not "a noun is a word that denotes person, place, or thing").
- A word that is countable is a noun (but not "all nouns are countable").
- Almost any word that is plural is a noun (but not "all nouns can be plural").
- Nouns can typically follow the or a (but not "words following the or a are nouns").
- Nouns can typically be modified by adjective phrases (but not "words modified by adjective phrases are nouns").
- Nouns cannot typically be modified by adverb phrases.
- Nouns head noun phrases.
- Noun phrases can perform a variety of functions, including subject and object (but not “subjects and objects are noun phrases”).
- Noun phrases can typically be possessive (but not “possessives are noun phrases”).
Importantly, each of these characteristics can be unclear to English-language learners. It's also important to note that many of the statements are not commutative (multiplication is commutative but division isn't; X × Y = Y × X but X ÷ Y ≠ Y ÷ X).
Some examples
What examples can you find of nouns that do NOT have one or more of the properties listed?
If you have any questions, make a note of them. Add them to the discussion board or bring them up with a classmate. You can also send an email to Brett or bring it up in class on Tuesday.
The image at the top shows the relationship between all the words in Green eggs and ham. The nouns are in blue.
From The distance of the moon by Italo Calvino