A dummy pronoun is used when a particular verb argument (or preposition) is nonexistent (it could also be unknown, irrelevant, already understood, or otherwise "not to be spoken of directly") but when a reference to the argument (a pronoun) is nevertheless syntactically required. For example, in the phrase "It is obvious that the violence will continue", it is a dummy pronoun, not referring to any agent. Unlike a regular pronoun of English, it cannot be replaced by any noun phrase.[citation needed]
The term dummy pronoun refers to the function of a word in a particular sentence, not a property of individual words. For example, it in the example from the previous paragraph is a dummy pronoun, but it in the sentence "I bought a sandwich and ate it" is a referential pronoun (referring to the sandwich).
In the phrase "it is raining—", the verb to rain is usually considered semanticallyimpersonal, even though it appears as syntactically intransitive; in this view, the required it is to be considered a dummy word.
Other views
However, there have been a few objections to this interpretation. Noam Chomsky has argued that the it employed as the subject of English weather verbs can control the subject of an adjunct clause, just like a "normal" subject. For example, compare:
She brushes her teeth before having a bath.
→ She brushes her teeth before she has a bath.
It sometimes rains after snowing.
→ It sometimes rains after it snows.
If this analysis is accepted, then the "weather it" is to be considered a "quasi-(verb) argument" and not a dummy word.
Some linguists such as D. L. Bolinger go even further, claiming that the "weather it" simply refers to a general state of affairs in the context of the utterance. In this case, it would not be a dummy word at all. Possible evidence for this claim includes exchanges such as:
"Was it nice (out) yesterday?"
"No, it rained."
where it is implied to mean "the local weather".
Raising verbs
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008)
Other examples of semantically empty it are found with raising verbs in "unraised" counterparts. For example:
It seems that John loves coffee. (Corresponding "raised" sentence: John seems to love coffee.)
Extraposition
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008)
Dummy it can also be found in extraposition constructions in English, such as the following:
It was known to all the class[that the boy failed his test].
Dummy objects
In English, dummy object pronouns tend to serve an ad hoc function, applying with less regularity than dummy subjects. Dummy objects are sometimes used to transform transitive verbs to a transitivelight verb form: e.g., do → do it, "to engage in sexual intercourse"; make → make it, "to achieve success"; get → get it, "to comprehend". Prepositional objects are similar: e.g., with it, "up to date"; out of it, "dazed" or "not thinking". All of these phrases, of course, can also be taken literally. For instance:
He ordered a cheeseburger, and even though it took them a while to make it, he did get some French frieswith it.
^Matthews, Peter Hugo (2003). The concise Oxford dictionary of linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Everaert, M. - van Riemsdijk, H - Goedemans, R. (eds) 2006 The Blackwell Companion to Syntax, Volumes I-V, Blackwell, London: see "existential sentences and expletive there" in Volume II.
Bolinger, D. L. (1977). Meaning and form. English Language Series, 11. London: Longman.
Graffi, G. 2001 200 Years of Syntax. A critical survey, John Benjamins, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Moro, A. 1997 The raising of predicates. Predicative noun phrases and the theory of clause structure, Cambridge Studies in Linguistics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England.
April 02, 2023
dummy, pronoun, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, january, 2016, learn, when, remove, this, template, message, d. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations January 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message A dummy pronoun is a deictic pronoun that fulfills a syntactical requirement without providing a contextually explicit meaning of its referent 1 As such it is an example of exophora Dummy pronouns are used in many Germanic languages including German and English Pronoun dropping languages such as Spanish Portuguese Chinese and Turkish do not require dummy pronouns citation needed A dummy pronoun is used when a particular verb argument or preposition is nonexistent it could also be unknown irrelevant already understood or otherwise not to be spoken of directly but when a reference to the argument a pronoun is nevertheless syntactically required For example in the phrase It is obvious that the violence will continue it is a dummy pronoun not referring to any agent Unlike a regular pronoun of English it cannot be replaced by any noun phrase citation needed The term dummy pronoun refers to the function of a word in a particular sentence not a property of individual words For example it in the example from the previous paragraph is a dummy pronoun but it in the sentence I bought a sandwich and ate it is a referential pronoun referring to the sandwich Contents 1 Dummy subjects 1 1 Weather it 1 1 1 Other views 1 2 Raising verbs 1 3 Extraposition 2 Dummy objects 3 Dummy predicates 4 See also 5 ReferencesDummy subjects EditThis section has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed May 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it June 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Weather it Edit In the phrase it is raining the verb to rain is usually considered semantically impersonal even though it appears as syntactically intransitive in this view the required it is to be considered a dummy word Other views Edit However there have been a few objections to this interpretation Noam Chomsky has argued that the it employed as the subject of English weather verbs can control the subject of an adjunct clause just like a normal subject For example compare She brushes her teeth before having a bath She brushes her teeth before she has a bath dd It sometimes rains after snowing It sometimes rains after it snows dd If this analysis is accepted then the weather it is to be considered a quasi verb argument and not a dummy word Some linguists such as D L Bolinger go even further claiming that the weather it simply refers to a general state of affairs in the context of the utterance In this case it would not be a dummy word at all Possible evidence for this claim includes exchanges such as Was it nice out yesterday No it rained where it is implied to mean the local weather Raising verbs Edit This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it June 2008 Other examples of semantically empty it are found with raising verbs in unraised counterparts For example It seems that John loves coffee Corresponding raised sentence John seems to love coffee Extraposition Edit This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it June 2008 Dummy it can also be found in extraposition constructions in English such as the following It was known to all the class that the boy failed his test Dummy objects EditIn English dummy object pronouns tend to serve an ad hoc function applying with less regularity than dummy subjects Dummy objects are sometimes used to transform transitive verbs to a transitive light verb form e g do do it to engage in sexual intercourse make make it to achieve success get get it to comprehend Prepositional objects are similar e g with it up to date out of it dazed or not thinking All of these phrases of course can also be taken literally For instance He ordered a cheeseburger and even though it took them a while to make it he did get some French fries with it Dummy predicates EditIt has been proposed by whom that elements like expletive there in existential sentences and pro forms in inverse copular sentences play the role of dummy predicate rather than dummy subject so that the postverbal noun phrase would rather be the embedded subject of the sentence citation needed See also EditImpersonal verb Null subject languageReferences Edit Matthews Peter Hugo 2003 The concise Oxford dictionary of linguistics Oxford Oxford University Press Everaert M van Riemsdijk H Goedemans R eds 2006 The Blackwell Companion to Syntax Volumes I V Blackwell London see existential sentences and expletive there in Volume II Chomsky Noam 1981 Lectures on Government and Binding Dordrecht Foris cited in http www ling helsinki fi sky julkaisut SKY2004 Alba Salas pdf Bolinger D L 1977 Meaning and form English Language Series 11 London Longman Graffi G 2001 200 Years of Syntax A critical survey John Benjamins Amsterdam The Netherlands Moro A 1997 The raising of predicates Predicative noun phrases and the theory of clause structure Cambridge Studies in Linguistics Cambridge University Press Cambridge England Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dummy pronoun amp oldid 1139960041, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
