Clause vs noun phrase
Scientists are interested in tracking where these intense pulses are coming from so they can determine what kind of cosmic events trigger them.
I wonder whether both analysis below could be correct:
what kind of cosmic events trigger them is a clause, an indirect question and complement of the verb "determine" (traditional grammar);
what kind of cosmic events trigger them is a noun phrase and direct object of the verb "determine", i.e. [determine] the answer to the question "What kind of cosmic events trigger them?" (CGEL).
Are both acceptable?
Top answer
anonymous Are both acceptable? You'd have to ask the CGEL enthusiasts, but as far as I know, they don't accept that second analysis wherein the indirect question is called a noun phrase. I doubt that CGEL calls any of those kinds of structures noun phrases.
- anonymous Are both acceptable?
- You'd have to ask the CGEL enthusiasts, but as far as I know, they don't accept that second analysis wherein the indirect question is called a noun phrase.
- I doubt that CGEL calls any of those kinds of structures noun phrases.
- The only exception seems to be the case of the fused relative "what" as in "What you say is true" or "Say what you mean", though I believe there are also a few other lesser used fused relative constructions which are also interpreted as noun phrases.
- CJ
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anonymousAre both acceptable?
You'd have to ask the CGEL enthusiasts, but as far as I know, they don't accept that second analysis wherein the indirect question is called a noun phrase. I doubt that CGEL calls any of those kinds of structures noun phrases. The only exception seems to be the case of the fused relative "what" as in "What you say is true" or
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