difference between word group and phrase

[Grace-Ellen]

Recently, I've read from a book on linguistcs that the difference between word group and phrse is that in the former pattern ,the head maintains its class,while in the latter the class will be changed,for example,"to the door"is a prepositional phrse as it is no longer a preposition. I've got really confused with this explanation.Would you please help me out? Thank you!

[Soup]

What's the example for 'word group'?

[Grace-Ellen]

There's no example about word group in the book.

[Soup]

Would this help?

A phrase lacks a subject, verb:

The word group "AS ice" is a prepositional phrase.
The word group "AS he ran for the goal line" is a clause.
The word group "BEFORE dawn" is a prepositional phrase.
The word group "BEFORE we ate dinner" is a clause.
The word group "FOR her journey" is a prepositional phrase.
The word group "FOR she had no transportation" is a clause.

Source

[Grace-Ellen]

Thank you ,but I'm afraid what you have listed better examplify the difference between phrase and clause instead of that between phrase and word group.This issue is rather tricky.

[Dawnstorm]

Originally Posted by Grace-Ellen

Thank you ,but I'm afraid what you have listed better examplify the difference between phrase and clause instead of that between phrase and word group.This issue is rather tricky.

Look at Soup's post again. On the surface level, it's about the difference between phrase and clause, but once you look closer to notice that both phrases and clauses as classified as subtypes of word-groups. That's consistent with how I hear "word group" used.

Notice, though, that phrases - in the linguistic sense - don't have to be word groups. They can also, simply, be words:

"orange cat" = noun phrase/word group
"cat" = noun phrase/word

The distinction between word group and phrase is important in linguistics, because, empirically all you have is the word group; you'll have to decide what sort of phrase a word-group is.

For example in DP-Theory (determiner-phrase theory) "the cat" would not be a noun phrase, but a determiner phrase where the determiner "the" governs the noun-phrase "cat". Another way to parse this would be to view "the cat" as a noun-phrase, where the noun "cat" governs the determiner "the". Which one is more useful depends on what you're looking at, or what specific theory you're using for your research. Note how "the cat" is the same word group, not matter whether you read it as a determiner phrase or a noun phrase.

But I'm not sure that this is what your book is saying. They could have a different definition in mind. From your post, I can't really tell what they're saying. For example, I don't see what else "to" in "to the door" could be, but a preposition. Also, I wasn't aware that "word groups" had heads; I though that having a head is what distinguishes a phrase from a mere word group (see above).

Perhaps if you could quote the relevent section word for word? Or at least tell us which book it is so we have a bit more to go on?

[Soup]

Originally Posted by Dawnstorm

Perhaps if you could quote the relevent section word for word? Or at least tell us which book it is so we have a bit more to go on?

Greetings! Long time no see.

[Dawnstorm]

Originally Posted by Soup

Greetings! Long time no see.

Hi,

I'm not a frequent visitor, am I?

[Grace-Ellen]

Thank you for this useful information! it's a pity that the book is written by a chinese scholar,so i'm not able to give you a precise english version of this part. maybe i could have a better understanding after consulting my linguistic teacher after th holiday.still many thanks!

[whitemoon]

Originally Posted by Dawnstorm

"orange cat" = noun phrase/word group
"cat" = noun phrase/word

Could anybody explain me why "cat"=noun phrase/word?
Thank you in advance.