On the syntax of the preposition <i>před</i> Cover Image

Poznámky k syntaxi předložky <i>před</i>
On the syntax of the preposition <i>před</i>

Author(s): Pavel Caha
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies
Published by: AV ČR - Akademie věd České republiky - Ústav pro jazyk český
Keywords: preposition; prepositional phrase; measure phrase; case attraction

Summary/Abstract: In this paper, I look at the syntax of the preposition před ‘in front of’ in its temporal uses, where it means ‘before’ or ‘ago.’ In particular, I analyze PPs such as před hodinou, lit. in front of an hour, meaning ‘an hour ago,’ and I argue that while ‘an hour’ behaves like a complement of the preposition from the perspective of word order and case, semantically it is a measure phrase. I propose an analysis in which ‘an hour’ starts out as a measure phrase, but ends up as a complement as a result of a transformation displacing the adposition to the left of the measure phrase.

  • Issue Year: 70/2009
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 287-294
  • Page Count: 8
  • Language: Czech