Pronoun

Definition

In syntax, a pronoun is a noun phrase (NP) that may receive its meaning from another NP in a given sentence. (Carnie, 2006, p. 145) However, sometimes it is unclear who a pronoun is referring to. This may result in pronoun ambiguity.

Pronouns may also be susceptible to binding conditions and have restrictions on where they can appear in a sentence.

Examples

Example in the Halkomelem Context of a Sentence using Pronoun čxw ‘you’ (Suttles, 2004, p. 623)
Example in the Skwxwu7mesh Context of a Sentence using Third Person Distal Pronoun ítsiw̓it ‘they’ (Jacobs, 2013, p. 7)
Example in the Secwepemctsín Context of a Sentence using Third-Person Singular Pronoun newí7-s ‘he’ (Lai, 1998, p. 24)

References

Carnie, A. (2006). Syntax: A generative introduction. John Wiley & Sons.

Jacobs, P. W. (2013). Subordinate clauses in Skwxwu7mesh: Their form and function. Northwest Journal of Linguistics, 7(2), 1-54.

Lai, I. S. (1998). The grammar and acquisition of Secwepemctsín independent pronouns. [Master’s thesis, The University of British Columbia].

Suttles, W. (2004). Musqueum reference grammar. UBC Press. SFU Student Access.*