What is a predicator?

Definition
	A predicator is the verb in its functional relation to the clause. It is comparable to the grammatical relations of subject and object.

Discussion
	The term predicator can be used to refer to the verbal element in Subject-Ver b-Object constructions, that is, Subject-Predicator-Object. This avoids the confusion of using verb to refer to both a form and a function.

Generic
	A predicator is a kind of
	What is a syntactic function?

Source
	Crystal 1985 241–242

Context for this page:

Concept module: predicator
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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