Linguist Forum

Specializations => Morphosyntax => Topic started by: zaba on January 31, 2015, 02:03:13 AM

Title: How does one distinguish a "complement" from a "predicate"?
Post by: zaba on January 31, 2015, 02:03:13 AM

I guess these terms come from different traditions. What is the difference in the kind of thing to which they refer?

Title: Re: How does one distinguish a "complement" from a "predicate"?
Post by: Daniel on January 31, 2015, 10:14:05 AM

A predicate is the "verby" part of a sentence. A "complement" is the main, usually required, argument for some element.

Predicate: I sing. / I see you.
Complement: I see you.