What is a pro-form?

Definition
	A pro-form is a word, substituting for other words, phrases, clauses, or sentences, whose meaning is recoverable from the linguistic or extralinguistic context.

Examples (English)
	Jim cooks better than she does. He did so.

Kinds
	Here are some kinds of pro-forms:
	What is an interrogative pro-form? What is a pro-adjective? What is a pro-adverb? What is a pronoun? What is a pro-verb?

Generic
	A pro-form is a kind of
	What is a word?

Sources
	Schachter 1985 24–25
	Crystal 1985 247

Context for this page:

Concept module: pro-form
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): P
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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