Good points. Maybe I can do better.

Subject: *Behind the table* is where I looked.  This could be a sentence
pattern 1 (Subject, being verb, adverb of Time/place), just in a reversed
syntax.  “behind the table” would then be an adverbial prepositional phrase.
I suppose this depends on whether you base function on a generative concept
of language; I tend to base function on the pattern as it is exists, not the
prototypical form. As your exchange with Larry proves, the form is
context-driven, but I think that is the point. Prepositional phrases can
function nominally if context calls for it. Perhaps a better example would
be "Behind the table is filthy."

Subject Complement: The best part of my day is *after lunch*.  Same as
above, with “after lunch” being the adverbial prepositional phrase answering
the question “when.” I don't see how this PP is adverbial. If you changed
the pattern, it could be the subject. If you remove it you get "The best
part of my day is." (?). Isn't this the subject complement?

Direct Object: Don't nose about *in my business*.  “In my business” would
seem to be an adverbial prep phrase answering the question “where,”
following the phrasal intransitive verb “nose about.”  I think you're right
with that example. But what about "Jane painted in the bathroom." An
adverbial would describe how Jane paints, like "Jane painted with smooth
strokes." But "along the trim" describes *what* she paints, not how she
paints -- isn't that the function of the direct object?

Object Complement: I bought the best gift *at the party. *(could be
adjectival depending on analysis)  there are two kinds of object
complements, one adjectival and the other nominal.  I could see “at the
part” as an adverbial, as a peripheral adjectival, or as an essential
adjectival for a pattern 9 sentence, but I can’t see it as a nominal object
complement.  Again, I see your point. Maybe a bad example. What about this
one: "Children often consider the scariest time of day during the night."
I'll admit it is a stretch and probably elliptical, but if we take it as it
is, could it be a nominal object complement? Maybe not so I could probably
concede that one.

Indirect Object: You might want to give *inside the car* a good cleaning as
well.  This may be used in informal speech (I think I’ve heard this actual
phrase), but in more formal speech, of course, it would read “you might want
to give THE inside OF the car a good cleaning as well.”  Point taken in
informal speech, though. I agree that this is informal but not by much. The
dialectologists may know better than I; perhaps it is moving toward
standard.

Telling my students that prepositional phrases are never used as nominals is
one of the few absolutes I have left to give them—I’m loathe to give it up. I
understand completely. I tell my students the same thing and warn them
against those who come bearing a multitude of rules and absolutes. When we
do find a rule that works, we hold on for dear life!

John

P.S. If anyone can't see color in their emails, I apologize now for the mess
above!





On Fri, Sep 3, 2010 at 2:11 PM, Joshua D. Hill <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

>
>
> John,
>
> Some of these could be analyzed differently.
>
>
> Subject: *Behind the table* is where I looked.  This could be a sentence
> pattern 1 (Subject, being verb, adverb of Time/place), just in a reversed
> syntax.  “behind the table” would then be an adverbial prepositional phrase.
>
> Subject Complement: The best part of my day is *after lunch*.  Same as
> above, with “after lunch” being the adverbial prepositional phrase answering
> the question “when.”
> Direct Object: Don't nose about *in my business*.  “In my business” would
> seem to be an adverbial prep phrase answering the question “where,”
> following the phrasal intransitive verb “nose about.”
> Object Complement: I bought the best gift *at the party. *(could be
> adjectival depending on analysis)  there are two kinds of object
> complements, one adjectival and the other nominal.  I could see “at the
> part” as an adverbial, as a peripheral adjectival, or as an essential
> adjectival for a pattern 9 sentence, but I can’t see it as a nominal object
> complement.
> Indirect Object: You might want to give *inside the car* a good cleaning
> as well.  This may be used in informal speech (I think I’ve heard this
> actual phrase), but in more formal speech, of course, it would read “you
> might want to give THE inside OF the car a good cleaning as well.”  Point
> taken in informal speech, though.
>
> Telling my students that prepositional phrases are never used as nominals
> is one of the few absolutes I have left to give them—I’m loathe to give it
> up.  J
>
> J. Hill
>
>
>  > wrote:
>
> Dear List,
>
>
>
> Does it make sense that a prepositional phrase can be used nominally?  If
> it makes sense to substitute "that," "this," "it," or some other pronoun for
> the prepositional phrase, could it make sense to call a prepositional phrase
> a direct object?
>
>
>
> For instance: in <he told his friends of the peculiar weather>, does it
> make sense to call "friends" the indirect object and "of the peculiar
> weather" the direct object?  In <he told his friends the truth> would
> "friends" be the indirect object and "truth" the direct object?  In <he told
> his friends> is "friends" a direct object, or an indirect object with an
> implied direct object? In <he told the truth> is there an implied indirect
> object, those who were told? In <he told the truth to his friends> is
> "truth" the direct object and "friends" the indirect object in a
> prepositional phrase? In <he told his friends about the truth> is "friends"
> the indirect object and "about the truth" the direct object? In <he told his
> friends that the truth can be found> is "that the truth can be found" a
> clausal direct object?  How else could these be analyzed?
>
>
>
> Thanks for your help,
>
>
>
> Scott Woods
>
>
>
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