Multi-layer prepositional phrase

Question

I am having trouble picturing the structure of this preposition phrase

from the point of view of generative syntax (PP)

My attempt to run it down goes like this:

from (preposition) + the point of view of generative syntax (NP)
the (DET) + point of view of generative syntax (nominal)

And I am stuck here, because I am uncertain if it should be

[point of view] [of generative syntax](PP complement)

or

point [of view [of generative syntax]]

Namely, is the PP complement "of generative syntax" attached to the noun "view"? It feels weird if that's the case. Because that way it would mean "of view of generative syntax" constitutes a PP and "view of generative syntax" an NP, but that doesn't appear to be true.
Also I think the NP "point of view" is headed by "point" instead of "view", so shouldn't the complement attach to the head noun "point" or the entire NP? BillJ's answer here specifies licensing as the criterion for complements. So in such a case where the core that is followed by an NP complement is an NP itself, which is the noun that does the licensing or permitting?

BillJ · Accepted Answer

... from the point of view of generative syntax.

The whole expression is a PP.
The PP "from the point of view" is analysed as prep + NP complement, where the head noun "point" has the PP "of view" as its complement.
The PP "of generative syntax" then functions as a complement within the larger PP, so we have a PP functioning within a larger one.
We know it's a complement because if it is dropped the expression becomes ungrammatical (we can't say *"from the point of view of". "Of" requires a complement to complete the PP).

LPH · Answer

Since "point of view" is a lexical unit (non analysable) (OALD) it is not correct to consider "of view …" as a prepositional phrase. Accordingly, the parsing is as follows ("point of view" is treated as a noun and there is just one embedding.

from [the point of view [of generative syntax]]

Were it not the case of "point of view" being a lexical unit there would be two embeddings.

from [the point [of view [of generative syntax]]]

Multi-layer prepositional phrase

2 Answers

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question