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This question is Not Answered
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Inchoateknowledge
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244863
Wed, 12 Jul 06 09:03 AM
She hoped that they would play Mozart quartet and they will.
She hoped that they would play Mozart quartet but they won't.
How can I decide which the operator is in a sentence?
predicate=operator+predication.
Joined on
Wed, May 3 2006
Senior Member
2,549
Beep! Beep! :)
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Clive
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244948
Wed, 12 Jul 06 02:57 PM
Hi,
She hoped that they would play Mozart quartet and they will.
She hoped that they would play Mozart quartet but they won't.
How can I decide which the operator is in a sentence?
predicate=operator+predication.
I'm not familiar with the term 'operator' as it is used here, but it sounds to me like it simply means the verb. Thus, the main operator in both your examples would be 'hoped'.
Is that the kind of answer you are looking for?
Best wishes, Clive
Joined on
Thu, Oct 28 2004
Canada
Veteran Member
29,676
El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo
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Inchoateknowledge
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244972
Wed, 12 Jul 06 04:28 PM
The subject can be identified by the question, 'who'.
No question elicits the predicate in a sentence.
However, if we divide the sentence into subject, operator, predication, the last constituent can be elicited.
What does it mean: "We shall consider the operator in more detail
later, but for the present we may define it as the first or only
auxiliary in the verb phrase in realising the sentence element V."?
Thanks in advance
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Clive
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244992
Wed, 12 Jul 06 05:57 PM
Hi again,
It's interesting, but odd, for me to discuss my language in such abstract terms. Let me try a few comments, although linguistics is not my field.
The subject can be identified by the question, 'who'. + Other possibilities, eg 'What?'
No question elicits the predicate in a sentence. How about 'What are you trying to tell me about 'Mary'?
However, if we divide the sentence into subject, operator, predication, the last constituent can be elicited. What does it mean: "We shall consider the operator in more detail later, but for the present we may define it as the first or only auxiliary in the verb phrase in realising the sentence element V."? "We'll talk about the operator later. At the moment, let's say it is the auxiliary in the verb phrase. eg in Mary was cooking dinner - the operator is was." Hmmm, what if there is no auxiliary, eg 'She hoped . . .'?
I guess this kind of thing has to be read in the author's context to fully follow the line of thinking.
Best wishes, Clive
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CalifJim
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245063
Wed, 12 Jul 06 11:13 PM
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How can I decide which the operator is in a sentence? |
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The modal verbs ( can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must), be, and do and have in some circumstances are the operators. Their negated contracted forms are also operators ( can't, doesn't, etc.) They are nearly equivalent to auxiliary verbs. The presence of be in the group of operators means that operators and auxiliaries are not exactly the same.
One of the characteristics of operators is that they invert with the subject to produce questions.
You can go. Can you go?
He is crazy. Is he crazy?
Do you play bridge?
She has gone away. Has she gone away?
Another characteristic is that they are the only verbs in the language that can carry negation (can introduce not or n't).
Non-operators don't have such characteristics:
*Hoped you that he would win?
*I saw not that movie.
Not all sentences contain operators, e.g.,
I found a wallet on the street yesterday afternoon.
But because of the characteristics mentioned above, all questions and negations have operators.
Do you understand? Are you ready?
I couldn't remember. I wasn't there.
_______
So would and will and won't are the operators in the sentences you showed above.
CJ
Joined on
Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member
22,465
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
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CalifJim
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245064
Wed, 12 Jul 06 11:21 PM
| "We shall consider the operator in more detail
later, but for the present we may define it as the first or only
auxiliary in the verb phrase in realising the sentence element V." |
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We may define the operator (for now, i.e., until we explain more about
it later) as the first* auxiliary in the verb phrase. This verb
phrase is an element of the sentence called "V"; that is, in our
analytical system, it takes the label "V" (for Verb). [This
operator, if it exists in the sentence at all, is just the first item of (possibly) several that make up the "V".]
*It is unnecessary to add "or only", because even if there is only one, that one is the first, after all!
CJ
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CalifJim
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245067
Wed, 12 Jul 06 11:36 PM
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No question elicits the predicate in a sentence. |
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It seems more accurate to say that no single question-word elicits the predicate of a sentence, because one can ask:
What did you do?
What happened?
which are quite near equivalents to questions eliciting predicates.
On the other hand, there are unusual situations where a single question-word ( what) can elicit a predicate, thus:
-- Yesterday, as I was driving home from work, I ... kek9eh wyeuriw ek0vhjk eif ekt {inaudible}
-- You what?
CJ
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