Luận Văn A study on nominal and denominal elements as pre - modifiers in complex noun phrases

Khóa luận tốt nghiệp
Đề tài: A study on nominal and denominal elements as pre - modifiers in complex noun phrases

Table of contents
acknowledgement
Part I: introduction 1
1. Rationale of the study 1

2. Aims of the study . 2
3. Scope of the study 2
4. Methods of the study 3
5. Design of the study 3
Part II: development . 4
Chapter One: Theoretical background . 4
I: Noun phrases 4
I.1. Definition of noun phrases . 4
I.2. Complex noun phrases 4
I.2.1. Head noun 4
I.2.2. Pre-modification 5
I.2.3. Post-modification . 8
II: Nominal elements 13
II.1. Definition of nominal elements 13
II.2. Semantic features of nominal elements 13
II.2.1. Reduced-explicitness relation 13
II.2.2. Relative impermanence . 14
II.2.3. Relative permanence 14
II.3. Syntactic functions of nominal elements – nominals as pre-modifiers in
complex noun phrases 14
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III. Denominal elements . 15
III.1. Definition of denominal elements . 15
III.2. Semantic features of denominal elements . 15
III.2.1. Stative . 16
III.2.2. Non-gradable 16
III.2.3. Non-inherent . 16
III.3. Syntactic functions of denominal elements – denominal elements
as pre-modifiers in complex noun phrases . 16
Chapter Two: Analysis for nominal and
denominal elements as pre-modifiers in complex
noun phrases . 18
I. Nominal element as pre-modifiers in complex noun phrases . 18
I.1. Types of noun used as pre-modifier in complex noun phrases . 18
I.1.1. Proper nouns . 20
I.1.1.1. Personal proper nouns 21
I.1.1.2. Geographical nouns 22
I.1.1.3. Institutional nouns . 23
I.1.1.4. Temporal/ calendar nouns 23
I.1.2. Common nouns . 24
I.1.2.1. Concrete nouns 24
1.2.1.1.1. In-animate concrete nouns . 25
I.1.2.1.2. Non-personal concrete nouns 26
I.1.2.1.3. Personal concrete nouns 27
I.1.2.2. Abstract nouns 27
I.1.3. Collective nouns 28
I.1.3.1. Personal collective nouns 29
I.1.3.2. Non-personal collective nouns 30
I.1.3.3. In-animate collective nouns . 30
I.1.4. Compound nouns 30
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I.2. Meaning differences between pre-modification and post -
modification of complex noun phrases . 34
I.2.1. Partitive meaning of post-modifier . 34
I.2.2. Restrictive meaning of post-modifier . 35
I.2.3. Unique meaning of pre-modifier 36
II: Denominal elements as pre-modifier in noun phrases 36
II.1. Types of derivational noun used as pre-modifiers in complex
noun phrases . 36
II.1.1. Noun derivation . 36
II.1.2. Abstract nouns . 37
II.1.3. In-animate concrete nouns . 38
II.1.4. Personal concrete nouns 39
II.1.5. Geographical proper nouns . 39
II.2. Analysis for denominal elements as pre-modifiers in complex
noun phrases . 40
Chapter Three: Common mistakes in using
nominals and denominals as pre-modifiers in
complex noun phras 42
I. Common mistakes made by Vietnamese learners in using
nominals and denominals as pre-modifiers in complex noun
phrases . 42
I.1. Word order . 42
I.1.1. Wrong of word structure . 44
I.1.2. Meaning changes . 44
I.2. Plural form . 44
I.3. Misinterpretation of meaning . 45
II. Some suggestions to overcome the difficulties 47
II.1. Word order 47
II.2. Plural form 48
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II.3. Misinterpretation of meaning . 49
Part III. Conclusion 50
References
Acknowledgement
In the completing of the graduation paper, I received so much help and advice
from many people that my indebtedness to them is beyond works.
First of all, I would like to give my sincere thanks to Mrs Mai Thuý Ph-¬ngMA, the teacher of Foreign Language Department of Haiphong University, who
has provided me with the invaluable suggestions, straight and opportune
comments, which are helpful for the accomplishment of the research.
In addition, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor Mrs
TrÇn ThÞ Ngäc Liªn, M.A- the Dean of the Foreign Language Department of
Haipong Private University for her tireless and helpful support in the preparation
as well as the correction, for her warmth, understanding and time, the lack of
which would render this paper impossible.
I am also grateful to all my teachers at the Department for their enormous help
and various lectures on the main points relating areas during the time I studied
at the university and the time I carried out this graduation paper.
Finally, I would like to send my thanks to my family and friends for their direct
help and encouragement and support in the process of completing the paper.
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Part I: Introduction
1. Rationale of the research
Nowadays, English become an international language that is used widely in all
fields of our life: trade, economy, science and technology English is a mean to
bridge culture in the world. Thank to this connection, Vietnamese people are
more friendly, sympathetic, motivated in the relationship with other culture.
Study English have become more and more popular to the youth especially to
student. It is considered as a necessary language for each student during the
process of studying and working. For students of Foreign Language
Department, this gets more important.
However, it is not easy to study a foreign language well like English. Almost
students have difficulties in studying and researching special subject such as
phonetics, lexicology and grammar.
To carry out the purpose of using English fluently, the learners need to have
thorough grasp of English lexicology and grammar. Many learners ap proach the
study of English with the eyes of the user. In the process of learning English, I
realize that complex noun phrases play a very important role in English using
and the more I study, the more interesting I find. That is the reason why I decide
to choose the research entitled: ‚A study on nominal and denominal elements as
pre-modifiers in complex noun phrases‛. The study shows learners of English
not only basic knowledge of the characteristics of English complex noun
phrases but also categories of noun and denominal adjectives used as premodifier in complex noun phrases. This will help learners to understand
complex noun phrases deeply.
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2. Aim of the research
Because of important role of complex noun phrases as well as difficulty in
understanding and using for learners. The study aimed at :
Study on definitions, structures, functions, and categories of pre-modifiers.
Indicate some problems that learners of English make a grammar mistake in
using complex noun phrases.
Suggest some solutions for those problems
3. Scope of the research
Although learners of English find so many things interesting during their
learning process, I myself do the same. However, the most fantastic that I keep
growing my passion on is complex noun phrases. Because of the time allowance
and limited knowledge, my graduation paper cannot cover all adjectives, nouns
and verbs. The study focuses on complex noun phrases, nominal and denominal
elements as pre-modifiers in complex noun phrases. Therefore, I would try to
find answers for the foreign question of the study.
(1). What are complex noun phrases, nominals and denominals?
(2).What is structure of complex noun phrases?
(3). What are semantic features of nominals and denominals?
(4). What are syntactic function of nominals and denominals?
(5). What are types of noun used as pre-modifiers in complex noun phrases?
(6). What are types of derivational noun (denominal adjectives) used as pre modifiers in complex noun phrases?
(7). What are common mistakes in using nominals and denominals as pre modifiers in complex noun phrases?
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4. Method of the research
In order to achieve the mentioned aims, I try my best to collect essential related
document in reference books with great help of my supervisors, from internet
and dictionaries. Then, this theme is studied on the basic of analyzing,
contrasting and researching of linguistics. Apart from this, there is apart of my
knowledge accumulated during the process of my study.
5. Design of the research
The study is divided into three main parts:
The first part is the Introduction, which gives out the reason for choosing
the topic of this study, pointing out the aims on conducting the study and
making out the methods applied as well.
The second part is the Development, consisting of three chapters:
Chapter I: Introduce the theoretical background of complex noun phrases.
Chapter II: Refer to analysis for nominal and denominal elements as premodifiers in complex noun phrases.
Chapter III: Give some common mistakes and solutions.
The last in the Conclusion, which summaries all the things mentioned in
the second part of the study.
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Part II: Development
Chapter I: Theoretical background
I. Noun phrases
I.1. Definition of noun phrases:
In grammar, a noun phrase (abbreviate NP) is a phrase whose head is a noun or
a pronoun, optionally accompanied by a set of modifiers.
Examples:
The pretty girl
She in the corner
Hoa
I.2. Complex Noun Phrases:
There are two kinds of noun phrases: basic noun phrases and complex noun
phrases. In the study, nominals and denominals as pre-modifiers are only in
complex noun phrase, therefore, this article is to deal with the structure of
complex noun phrases.
Complex noun phrases contain three components: pre-modification, head noun
and post-modification.
I.2.1. Head Noun
Like in the basic noun phrase, the head noun, first of all, is the central element
and core component of the complex noun phrase. It may be count or mass noun
which dictates concord and (for the most part) other kinds of congruence with
the rest of the sentence outside the noun phrase. This is exemplified in:
The only girl in this class is hardworking.
All of the beautiful girls in my class are kind.


References
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Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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Oxford: Oxford University Press.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derivation_(linguistics)"
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14. www. English-the-easy-way.com/ nouns