Adverbial submodification

ADVERBIAL SUBMODIFICATION OF CLASSIFIERS

Although non-gradable classifiers may not be submodified by intensifiers such as "very", "rather" etc, there is the possibility of some adverbial submodification for these words.

e.g.

It is completely broken.
A badly written novel.
A well constructed plot

There is then the further possibility for gradable submodification of these adverbs.

e.g.

A very badly written novel.
A more easily understood theory

Thus adverbs can also for the purposes of analysis be treated as headwords of adverbial groups. The structure for the adverbial group is similar to that for adjectival groups:-

The adverbial group is thus embedded in the adjectival group.

The adjectival group is then embedded in the nominal group.

Comparative submodifiers can also themselves serve as headwords for further modification by words like "much" and "far".

e.g.

much more, far more

Some submodifiers can also take an intensifier:-

e.g.

very much

A complex nominal group can then show several levels of embedding, as in the following example which shows group structures existing in an extended relationship of embedded submodification:-

e.g.

a very much more easily understood theory

This consists of:-

      an intensifying group:-

      embedded in a comparative group:-

       embedded in an adverbial group:-

       embedded in an adjectival group:-

        embedded in a nominal group:-