Substitution

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Substitution
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Substitution
Process by which we replace a phrase with a
pronoun (or other proform)
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Substitution
Weve seen that NP can be made up of the head N,
along with an optional determiner (D) and other
optional phrases, including AP and PP modifiers.
We assumed that these elements together form a
constituent, a syntactic unit. There is
evidence beyond just our intuitions that this is
the case NPs can be replaced by pronouns, words
that replace noun phrases, by a process called
substitution. Youve probably learned in school
that pronouns replace nouns, but youll see here
that that is not the case!
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• The underlined NP in the following sentence has
  been replaced by pronoun
• they
• The new houses will make a fine addition to the
  neighborhood.
• They will make a fine addition
  to the neighborhood.
• they The new houses

• The NP that mouse is replaced by the pronoun it.
• That mouse ran under the bed.
• It ran under the bed.
• It that mouse.

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• Even very large NPs can be replaced by pronouns
• The mouse that Jill found in her pocket when
  she put her on yesterday
• 
  ran under the bed.
• It
  ran under the bed.
• It the mouse that Jill found in her pocket
  when she put her
• on yesterday