Really complicated grammar =S

Question

1. What exactly is an adverb of place?I know that it describes where the action takes place."I was swimming at the pool"At the pool = adverb placeBut then someone told me that it can modify any direction of the verb."I stole the clothes from the store"From the stole = sounds like the direction/place of stealing,BUTTT... it also can modify "the clothes"And what about this sentence, "I received a gift from him" and "I banned him from the school"2. With stative verbs, I can't think of any adverbs of place."I want the book there" vs. "I want the book to be there"In the first example, "there" modifies the book and in the second "to be there" is the direct object of want. I asked myself, "where does the wanting occur", it has many ambiguous examples, and then the objects become obsolete.3. With stative verbs, what about adverbs of time?"I want to play soccer tomorrow" vs. "Tomorrow, I want to play soccer"In the first example, I think that tomorrow modifies the "to play", whereas in the second example, the "tomorrow" modifies the "want". But someone told me that adverbs can be anywhere in the sentence and still have the same meaning. What is the rule here?And if I saw "He can be anywhere in the park" What does "in the park" modify?4. Adjective Complement vs. Adverb (Infinitives)"She is unhappy to see me"This is an adverb infinitive modifying unhappy or answering why she's unhappy."It's irresponsible to do that"Apparently, this is an adjective complement. I don't get it, whats the difference? The only different I see is that "it's" is an expletive.5. Speaking of expletetives.."There are toys over there""It's good to know"I don't want really know what "over there" and "to know" modifies.. over could be modifying the toys, and to know modifies "good". But I can rephrase them and say "Toys are over there" and "To know is good". Now the "phrases" become subjects. Explain please?

Avangi · Accepted Answer

BlackBlitz1. What exactly is an adverb of place?
I know that it describes where the action takes place.
"I was swimming at the pool"
At the pool = adverb place
But then someone told me that it can modify any direction of the verb.
"I stole the clothes from the store"
From the stole = sounds like the direction/place of stealing,
BUTTT... it also can modify "the clothes"
And what about this sentence, "I received a gift from him" and "I banned him from the school"

Hi, Black Blitz,
Please try to distinguish between a word and a phrase.
An adverb is a word. You may look it up in the dictionary, and it will say "adv." It may tell where, it may tell when, it may tell how, etc. It frequently modifies the verb, but may also modify an adjective or another adverb.
Phrases are groups of words. The same phrase may be "named" in two different ways: (1) for the type of word it begins with, and (2) for the way it functions. A participial phrase begins with a participle. A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition.
An adverbial phrase probably doesn't begin with an adverb, but functions to modify the verb, or describe the action. An adjectival phrase probably doesn't begin with an adjective, but functions to modify a noun.
Phrases which begin with nouns, or which function as nouns are beyond the scope of this discussion.
As we've discussed in other threads, a prepositional phrase such as "under the water" can be adverbial and it can be adjectival, but it is not an adverb and it is not an adjective, and it has neither an adverb nor an adjective in it.
"Rocks under the water can be a hazzard to pleasure boats."
"Swim under the water, and you will avoid detection."
"The submarine disappeared under the water."
In the first example, the prepositional phrase "under the water" is obviously adjectival, modifying the noun "rocks."
In the second example, it's obviously adverbial, modifying the verb "to swim." Since it tells "where," you can say it's an adverbial phrase of place. (I don't think it's correct to call it an adverb of place.)
The third example is the type you consistently have problems with. Does it modify the verb "to disappear," or does it modify the noun, "submarine"? Both are under the water, so to speak.
My personal advice would be to stick with the verb in these cases where you feel it modifies both.

I know some of them can be argued forever -
"I saw / meant the book on the floor."

"I stole the clothes from the store."
I think you have to make a pretty good case that the speaker intends to indicate "which" clothes before you can call it adjectival.
"Did you steal those clothes from the store, or from the truck?" (reply) "I stole 'em from the truck."
I think this is still adverbial.
"I brought these clothes from my house."
Still adverbial.

<< "I received a gift from him" and "I banned him from the school" >>
These are both adverbial, in my opinion.

BlackBlitz · Answer

"I borrowed a gift from him"
I'm still wondering about what a place "adverbial" would modify. "borrowing" doesn't occur literally "where" (from him).

CalifJim · Answer

from marks the source argument of the three-argument form of the verb borrow.

BORROW (borrower, thing borrowed, source of the borrowing).

I don't see from him as adverbial. It's simply a constituent of the main clause, the same way that to him is a constuent of

GIVE (giver, thing given, destination of the gift):

I gave a gift to him.

In the latter case, we have a special term (indirect object) for the destination. Unfortunately, many systems of grammatical analysis do not have a special term for the source.

It is not necessary for every word in a sentence to be labeled as a modifier of something else, though from the series of questions you've been asking lately, it seems you believe so.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

CalifJimI don't see from him as adverbial.

Thanks for bringing this up, CJ. I've been hoping to clarify it since B.B.'s last post on the subject. He correctly identified the objects, but seemed to also be saying that they modified the verb. I wondered if since they surely tell something about the verb, it might be said that they modify it. You've answered my question. - A.

CalifJim · Answer

AvangiI wondered if since they surely tell something about the verb, it might be said that they modify it.

The verb is the central constituent of every sentence. Everything else is subordinate to it in some sense. So, in absurdly broad terms, everything else in the sentence, including the subject and object(s) of the verb"modify" the verb. I find the word "modify" very overused in the world of grammar. It tends to broadbrush everything, thereby covering up a multitude of misunderstandings about the relationships between sentential constituents.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

Many thanks.<img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/77.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/77.gif' alt='Emotion: happy'/>

Really complicated grammar =S

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