However, there is one situation where the two types of structure are out of phase with one another even though the nominal group is a full one (see IFG2: 195-196, IFG3: 332-5 for grammatical indications of the two structures being out of phase). This happens when the Head is a noun that does not represent a thing in its own right but rather an elaboration or extension of another thing, as in the side of the house, two metres of fabric, another cup of coffee. In such cases the multivariate and univariate structures are out of phase with one another:
Here the univariate Head has a kind of ‘numerative’ function, but in fact, the full potential of the nominal group (including Deictic, Post-Deictic and Numerative) is still available after this initial Numerative choice. We might have, for example, two metres of the first fabric [[I looked at]].
Blogger Comments:
[1] This is potentially misleading. IFG2 (Halliday 1994: 195-6) makes a distinction between structures exemplified by the side of the house versus two metres of fabric. The former type involves a Pre-Deictic element, while it is only the latter type that involves a Pre-Numerative:
Note that, in Matthiessen's editions of IFG (2004: 333; 2014: 395), this distinction is lost, as both types are interpreted as extended Numeratives, despite the fact that Pre-Deictics are types (qualities), not measures (quantities).
[2] This is potentially misleading, because this fact is already acknowledged in IFG2 (Halliday 1994: 195):
In the experiential structure, therefore, it is the Numerative that is embedded; and since it is embedded, it comes to the front and may be followed by a fully structured nominal even beginning with a Deictic, as in a cup of that good strong tea.
and it is this that motivates the terms 'Pre-Numerative' and 'Pre-Deictic'.
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