The criterion of deciding on the function of the PP

Question

Many effective altruists worry that A.I. can cause serious harm if it is not built in a safe way.

From NYT.

I wonder what is the criterion of deciding on the function of the PP "in a safe way" in the sentence above.

I take that PP as a complement of the verb "built", not an adjunct in the sentence.

I think that rather it is logic (influenced by semantics) that tells me that PP is the complement.

Now, what decides that PP is a complement or an adjunct in that sentence: Is it 'pure' grammar (syntax) or is it semantics (logic) or both?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

anonymousI take that PP as a complement of the verb "built", not an adjunct in the sentence.

But it could be an adjunct of manner.

anonymousI think that rather it is logic (influenced by semantics) that tells me that PP is the complement.

I see your point. The general advice is that we will know a complement when we see it just by the fact that the sentence sounds "incomplete" if we leave it out, but that is rather unreliable advice that has to be explained away by a lot of hand-waving when a real case like yours comes up.

anonymousNow, what decides that PP is a complement or an adjunct in that sentence: Is it 'pure' grammar (syntax) or is it semantics (logic) or both?

I would not write "grammar (syntax) or semantics (logic)" there, but rather "syntax (structure) or semantics (meaning)".

I used to think these sorts of analysis were supposed to be all syntactical, but that turns out to be inconvenient for so many cases that semantics is brought in in the form of "licensing", in which certain words, i.e., meanings, (usually verbs or verb-preposition pairs) "license" complements.

Here's an excerpt from an article on this subject (link below):

Complement and Adjunct are different kinds of Dependent, distinguished by the licensing condition. Complements can occur only if they are licensed by the Head verb: the verb must belong to a subclass that permits (or requires) a Complement of the type in question. Adjuncts are not subject to this restriction.

Sometimes the wording is "selected by the verb" instead of "licensed by the verb". Later in the same article, where the topic of preposition phrase complements is discussed:

... in [She relied on her instinct] on is selected by the verb: any adequate dictionary will tell you (if only by example) that rely takes a Complement with on, consist with of, refer with to, and so on. Verbs like these that take as Complement a preposition phrase headed by some specified preposition are called `prepositional verbs'.

In short, 'on her instinct' is a complement in the target sentence above.

For the whole article, see http://www.lel.ed.ac.uk/grammar/overview.html

I don't think everybody will necessarily agree that 'built' licenses a complement with the preposition 'in': built in three stages, built in only one month, and built in haste all seem to contain preposition-phrase adjuncts. And then, note also stored in a safe way or transported in a safe way. I wonder if those also make you think that 'in a safe way' is a complement. (I don't know, so don't ask. I don't have a dog in this fight.)

Still, there are probably more angles to consider, not just the topic of prepositional verbs, so stay tuned for additional answers to your question.

CJ

The criterion of deciding on the function of the PP

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