predicate

Hello

I have a question regarding the OED definition of the word "predicate"
It says:" The statement made about a subject, including the logical copula(which in a verb is expressed by the personal suffix).

i don`t understand what is meant with the logical copula and the personal suffix. why is it expressed by this?

i would be very thankfull, if you could help me

best regards

fredo

[izabela]

Hi,

A copula, (also called a linking verb), is a word that is used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate. It serves to associate the subject with a predicate that could not stand by itself. For example, in the sentence, "Bob runs"( 's' is personal suffix of the verb 'run' that agrees with a subject), the predicate 'run' is already a verb, so it can be used by itself. In the sentences "Bob is old", however, the predicate is an adjective, so the linking verb 'is' (a form of 'be') is necessary and serves to associate the adjective 'old' with Bob.

I hope it helps,
Iza

Originally Posted by fredo733

Hello

I have a question regarding the OED definition of the word "predicate"
It says:" The statement made about a subject, including the logical copula(which in a verb is expressed by the personal suffix).

i don`t understand what is meant with the logical copula and the personal suffix. why is it expressed by this?

i would be very thankfull, if you could help me

best regards

fredo

Thank you!
i understand what a copula and a suffix is, but i dont understand
why the definition says, that the copula is expressed by the personal suffix! That means that the copula is the suffix!
can you help me again?

[Tdol]

Try here: http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/predicate.html

To put it country simple, it's basically the rest of the sentence other than the subject.

[Francois]

Country simple -- Gotta add that to my vocabulary list

FRC

[izabela]

Hi,

From what I understand you know what a predicate is, right?

To be honest with you, I am not really sure why the definition is written the way it is. I understand that the personal suffix is the inflection of a copula or other verb needed to agree with its subject. However, this is not relevant to the definition of a predicate.

I'm sorry if it does not answer your question,
Iza

Originally Posted by fredo73

Thank you!
i understand what a copula and a suffix is, but i dont understand
why the definition says, that the copula is expressed by the personal suffix! That means that the copula is the suffix!
can you help me again?

[Tdol]

Originally Posted by Francois

Country simple -- Gotta add that to my vocabulary list

FRC

It's a great expression. Another I like is'in the old money' as a way of using a term that is no longer regarded as completely acceptable:

[Politically correct term], or [Politically incorrect term] 'in the old money'.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by fredo733

Hello

I have a question regarding the OED definition of the word "predicate"
It says:" The statement made about a subject, including the logical copula(which in a verb is expressed by the personal suffix).

i don`t understand what is meant with the logical copula and the personal suffix. why is it expressed by this?

i would be very thankfull, if you could help me

best regards

fredo

EX: She washes the car.

In grammar, the first word She is the subject, and washes the car is the predicate. The predicate is made up of the verb washes and its object the car.

Grammar: She washes the car. (Predicate)

In logic, every proposition is reducible to the form A is B, B being the predicate. That is, we insert a word between the subject and the predicate to get a better idea of what the predicate actually looks like, like this,

Logic: She is washing the car. (Predicate)

The logical form of She washes the car would be She is washing the car.

The logical copula (i.e. the word that connects or couples together the subject with the predicate) would be "is",

She is washing the car. (Copula)

With other verbs, though, the logical copula (i.e. the thing that connects the subject with the predicate) is not visible,

She (subject) washes the car. (Predicate)

Here we have A B; there's no A is B.

In a verb, such as washes, walks, goes, eats, the logical copula, or in other words, the thing that ties or bridges the subject with the predicate, is expressed by the personal suffix (i.e. by inflection),

She washes the car.

That is, the -es ending on washes agrees in number and person with the 3rd person singular subject She. Subject-Verb Agreement acts as the logical copula. :D

She washes the car. (Logical Copula)
She is washing the car. (Logical Copula)

When there isn't a copula (i.e. "is, am, are" etc.), inflection (i.e. -es) acts as the joining element.

All the best,

[izabela]

Nicely explained. A+++

Originally Posted by Casiopea

EX: She washes the car.

In grammar, the first word She is the subject, and washes the car is the predicate. The predicate is made up of the verb washes and its object the car.

Grammar: She washes the car. (Predicate)

In logic, every proposition is reducible to the form A is B, B being the predicate. That is, we insert a word between the subject and the predicate to get a better idea of what the predicate actually looks like, like this,

Logic: She is washing the car. (Predicate)

The logical form of She washes the car would be She is washing the car.

The logical copula (i.e. the word that connects or couples together the subject with the predicate) would be "is",

She is washing the car. (Copula)

With other verbs, though, the logical copula (i.e. the thing that connects the subject with the predicate) is not visible,

She (subject) washes the car. (Predicate)

Here we have A B; there's no A is B.

In a verb, such as washes, walks, goes, eats, the logical copula, or in other words, the thing that ties or bridges the subject with the predicate, is expressed by the personal suffix (i.e. by inflection),

She washes the car.

That is, the -es ending on washes agrees in number and person with the 3rd person singular subject She. Subject-Verb Agreement acts as the logical copula. :D

She washes the car. (Logical Copula)
She is washing the car. (Logical Copula)

When there isn't a copula (i.e. "is, am, are" etc.), inflection (i.e. -es) acts as the joining element.

All the best,

Originally Posted by izabela

Nicely explained. A+++

Sounds logic! Thank you!

Now i understand it! Do you have some further
information about this topic? some grammarbooks
or internet sites?

greets