Subject Complement

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starry_eyes

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Hello!
I'm writing in this forum cause I have some doubts about a sentence:

"A man named "SPAM KING" had been arrested. "

SPAM KING" is considered by my teacher as a SUBJ.COMPLEMENT....but I don't understand why!
Is the subj.complement the structure which is obligatory after a copula or linking verbs?
I think that "TO NAME" is neither a COPULA nor a LINKING VERB...so, why SPAM KING is a Subj.Complement?
 

Tdol

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What do you think named is here?
 

philo2009

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Hello!
I'm writing in this forum cause I have some doubts about a sentence:

"A man named "SPAM KING" had been arrested. "

SPAM KING" is considered by my teacher as a SUBJ.COMPLEMENT....but I don't understand why!
Is the subj.complement the structure which is obligatory after a copula or linking verbs?
I think that "TO NAME" is neither a COPULA nor a LINKING VERB...so, why SPAM KING is a Subj.Complement?

The term 'subject complement' is not restricted to occurrence after copular (or 'linking') verbs, but is applied also - quite correctly by your teacher in this case - to phrase-elements required after the passive forms of factitive verbs, such as 'name' or 'elect'. (Your sentence is simply an abbreviated form of

A man who was named the Spam King...)

Note that, if those same verbs are used actively, the resulting form will be an object complement, e.g. 'John' in

They named the baby John.
 

starry_eyes

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Thank you Philo! What a great explication! I have found it very, very usefull!:up:

The term 'subject complement' is not restricted to occurrence after copular (or 'linking') verbs, but is applied also - quite correctly by your teacher in this case - to phrase-elements required after the passive forms of factitive verbs, such as 'name' or 'elect'. (Your sentence is simply an abbreviated form of

A man who was named the Spam King...)

Note that, if those same verbs are used actively, the resulting form will be an object complement, e.g. 'John' in

They named the baby John.
 
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