How are 'sweeping and rushing' adjectives here?

Question

I give you four examples below1. She came sweeping (adv) into the room. I know it expresses manner.  2. She came into the room sweeping (adj). But how is it an adjective here? please explain.3. She came rushing (adv) into the room. I know it expresses manner also. 4. She came into the room rushing (adj). But how is it an adjective here? please explain.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

roky0071
I give you four examples below
1. She came sweeping (adv) into the room. I know it expresses manner.
2. She came into the room sweeping (adj). But how is it an adjective here? please explain.
3. She came rushing (adv) into the room. I know it expresses manner also.
4. She came into the room rushing (adj). But how is it an adjective here? please explain.

I don't agree with that analysis. Those are all adverbial in nature.

I would call them participles (the -ing form of a verb).

In the case of 2 we can interpret sweeping as a special action involving the use of a broom. In the case of 4 we can find no such special way of interpreting 'rushing'. Case 4 is therefore ill-formed. It is very unlikely that a native speaker would generate 4.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

I had replied and explained it a couple of days ago. Your examples are either not idiomatically natural or analytically incorrect. Again, in Lady Antebellum hit " I need you now", one part of the song lyrics was (figuratively written):

Another shot of whisky
Can't stop looking at the door
Wishing you'd come swee

Another shot of whisky
Can't stop looking at the door
Wishing you'd come sweeping
In the way you did before

Sweeping in- together forms the adverbial. Sweeping- is not an adjective.

BillJ · Answer

roky0071She came sweeping (adv) into the room. I know it expresses manner.

No: it doesn't express manner. Manner adjuncts are typically AdvPs, as in Ed departed very hastily. They can also be PPs, as in She handled it with great care, or NPs as in You must do it this way, but not clauses.

It's a predicative depictive adjunct , not a complement.

roky0071She came into the room sweeping (adj). But how is it an adjective here?

No: not an adjective. This makes no sense, unless you meant she had a broom in her hand when she came into the room, in which case it has the same analysis as your first example, i.e. a depictive adjunct.

roky0071She came rushing (adv) into the room. I know it expresses manner also.

Same analysis as your first example -- a depictive adjunct.

roky0071She came into the room rushing.

No: not an adjective. It's an implausible sentence, but the analysis is the same as your other examples.

How are 'sweeping and rushing' adjectives here?

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