subcategorize
verbEtymology From sub- + categorize.
1
To categorize more specifically by placing in a subcategory.
2
Grammar, Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences To practice subcategorization.
- As we see from the examples in (55): (55) (a) John will put [_(NP) the car] [_(PP) in the garage] (55) (b) ^✽John will put [_(NP) the car] (55) (c) ^✽John will put [_(PP) in the garage] (55) (d) ^✽John will put the Verb put subcategorizes (i.e. ‘takesʼ) obligatory NP and PP complements (to simplify exposition here, we ignore the fact that the subcategorization properties of put may be predictable from its thematic properties, and from general word-order principles such as the STRICT ADJACENCY CONDITION).1988, Andrew Radford, chapter 8, in Transformational grammar: a first course, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, page 421:
- Derived terms
- subcategorizable, subcategorizand, subcategorizer