What is an antecedent?

Definition
	An antecedent is a word, phrase, or clause referred to endophorically by another expression which precedes or follows it.

Examples (English)
	In the following construction, the boy is the antecedent of who: The boy who pitched the game is worn out. In the following construction, a towel is the antecedent of one: If you need one, there’s a towel in the top drawer.

Sources
	Crystal 1985 17
	Hartmann and Stork 1972 14
	Pei and Gaynor 1954 15
	Mish 1991 89

Context for this page:

Concept module: antecedent
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): A
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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