Understanding Syntactic Function Units and Noun Structure

Syntagma: Syntactic Function Unit

A syntagma is a syntactic function unit formed by a group of words that gather around a nucleus. The most important are the Noun Phrase (SN) and the Verb Phrase (SV) because they form the subject and the predicate.

Noun (Substantive)

A word for people, animals, objects, or concepts. Gender is a grammatical feature that indicates whether it is masculine or feminine, allowing consistency with other components of the oración (sentence). It employs morphological and lexical mechanisms to mark it. The number shows whether it is singular or plural, reflected by morphemes.

Types of Nouns:

• Common (concrete: individual and collective; abstract)
• Proper (anthroponyms, surnames, and place names)

Its function is primarily to be the core of the subject, or complement a verbal nucleus, as an apposition or Nominal Complement (CN). It also functions as an Adjective Attribute (atr.), Verbal Predicative Complement (CPVO), and Circumstantial Complement (CC).

An SN is formed by a Determinant (det) and a Nominal Complement (CN) (which can be a Noun, SN, Prepositional Phrase (PrepP), or a subordinate clause).

Determinants

These belong to a closed grammatical category and include: articles, demonstratives, possessives, numerals, indefinites, distributives, identity markers, interrogatives, and exclamatives.

Adjectives

A grammatical category that accompanies the substantive and expresses its qualities.

Adjective Features:

• Gender: Adjectives have one termination (consistent with the noun) or two terminations.
• Number: Singular or plural.
• Grade: Positive (as this), comparative (equal, superiority, or inferiority), and superlative.

Adjectives can be specifying (unlike nouns) or explanatory (expressing an essential quality of the substantive). They include qualifiers and demonyms. They perform the function of Nominal Complement (CN), Attribute (atrb.), and Verbal Predicative Complement (CPVO).

Pronouns

Pronouns replace the Noun Phrase (NP) or the occasional noun meaning. They possess meaning and can perform the function of a noun, admitting gender and number morphemes. Their function is anaphoric, cataphoric, or contextual deixis/benchmark.

Types of Pronouns:

Personal, demonstrative, possessive, numerals, indefinite, relative, reflexive, reciprocal, interrogative/exclamative.

Errors and Values:

• Leísmo: Using le for lo/los (direct object).
• Laísmo: Using la for le (indirect object).
• Loísmo: Using lo for le (indirect object).

Values of SE: Pronoun (personal, reflexive, reciprocal), verbal morpheme (lexicalized), passive sign, or emphatic marker.

SN Syntax Functions:

Subject, CN, CAP (Adjectival Phrase Complement), CD (Direct Object), CI (Indirect Object), CC (Circumstantial Complement), CAG (Adverbial Phrase Complement), CRV (Verbal Complement), CPVO, cadjan (?), CADV (Adverbial Complement), Attribute, and Vocative (e.g., "cuentanos DEAR FRIEND").

Substantification

The change in the grammatical category of a word so that it performs the function of a substantive (noun). Adjectives, infinitives, and adverbs can be substantified.

Stylistic Aspects of the SN:

Omission of the determinant, inversion of the logical order, and substantive choice of a "nice" element.