English Syntax

Noun Phrase in The SimpsonSeries: The Cartridge Family-

Action One

By:

Annisa Kusuma Anggraeni(180410090134)

A. Introduction

Phrase is a grammatical unit which consists of a group of words that is

nonpredikatif or usually called a group of words which fills one of the

syntax function in a sentence (Chaer, 2007). Phrase may consist of

one word or more than one word (Sujatna, 2007). Phrase is a

collection of words that may have nouns or verbals, but it doesn’t have a

subject doing a verbs (Wheeler). Other expert states that phrase

is a contraction of a clause (Halliday, 2004). So, we can

conclude that phrase is a group of words that differ

from a clause and has a function. Phrase has a main word

or head word which is modified by other word, for

example:

The blue book

The word “book” is a head word which is modified

by “the blue”. The meaning of that phrase is a

book which cover is blue.

Although only consist of some words which is not as

complex as sentence, phrase also has a meaning. To

define whether it is phrase or not, we have to pay

attention on which is the head word and the modifier.

The other important thing is phrase doesn’t produce a

new meaning of the word. There is an example of group of

word but doesn’t categorized as a phrase,

She is sleeping

The group of words above isn’t a phrase, yet it

consists of more than one words but it doesn’t

have a head word that must be modified by other

word. That is a kind of sentence which consists of

noun and verb as its word class, meanwhile a

phrase only has one kind of word class.

Red face

The group of words above isn’t a phrase, although

the word “red” modify “face” which “face” is a

head word but the meaning of that word is being

change. The red face that the word mean, is being

shame not the face which has a red color. In other

words, that group of words is an idiom.

Phrase can be divine into several types, noun

phrase, verb phrase, prepositional phrase, adjective

phrase, and adverbial phrase. Here are a few explanation

about them all.

a. Noun phrase

Noun phrase is a phrase which nouns or pronouns

characteristically functioned as the head word of

noun phrases, for example my best friend.

b. Verb phrase

Verb phrase is a phrase which main verbs

characteristically function as the head word of verb

phrases. There are two kinds of verbs:

a. Main verbs : sleep, bought, gone, do, etc.

b. Auxiliary verbs:

- Primary : do, be, have

- Modals : can, may, should, etc.

The example of verb phrase is has been slept.

c. Adjective Phrase

Adjective phrase is a phrase which adjective

characteristically functioned as the head word of

adjective phrases, for example very patient.

d. Adverbial Phrase

Adverbial phrase is a phrase which adverb

characteristically functioned as the head word of

adverb phrases, for example very slowly.

In this writing, i will only discussed about noun

phrase. We may know this kind of phrase from high school

or may be junior high school. So we must be familiar with

noun phrase. But sometimes, to analyse whether it is noun

phrase or other phrase is a problem for some people. In

order to solve that, I will discuss about it.

Here are some definition of noun phrase according

to several sourches,

1. A word group with a noun or pronoun as its head. The

noun head can be accompanied

bymodifiers, determiners (such as the, a, her),

and/or complements. A noun phrase (often abbreviated

as NP) most commonly functions as a subject, object,

or complement. (htt2)

2. Noun phrase is a endocentric phrase which the head

word is a noun or pronoun. (Chaer, 2007)

3. Noun phrase is either a pronoun or any group of words

that can be replaced by a pronoun. For example,

‘they’, ‘cars’, and ‘the cars’ are noun phrases, but

‘car’ is just a noun. (htt3)

4. Noun phrase is nouns or pronouns characteristically

functions as the head word of noun phrases. (Sujatna,2007)

5. A noun phrase consists of a pronoun or noun with any

associated modifiers, including adjectives, adjective

phrases, adjective clauses, and other nouns in

the possessive case. Like a noun, a noun phrase can

act as a subject, as the object of a verb or verbal,

as a subject or object complement, or as the object

of a preposition. (MacFadyen)

6. A noun phrase includes a noun—a person, place, or

thing—and the modifiers which distinguish it.(Simmons)

From those definition of noun phrase, we may

conclude that noun phrase is a phrase which nouns or

pronouns characteristically functioned as the head word

of noun phrases and modified by modifiers, for example my

best friend. The word friend function as a head word because

it is the noun of the phrase. The other word called pre

modifier, because it modifies the word friend and located

in front of the head word. Best is an adjective as the

modifier shows that modifier in noun phrase could be

adjective, other word classes, and even a clause. Here is

the example of noun phrase’s tree diagram with some kinds

of modifier,

- My silly friend

NP

Pre modifier HW

Det. Adj. N

My silly friend (Diagram 1.1)

- A sleeping girl

NP

Pre-modifier HW

Det. V+ing N

A sleeping girl(Diagram 1.2)

- The tree behind the house.

NP

Pre modifier HW Post-modifier

Det. N

Preposition

The tree behind the house(Diagram 1.3)

- Approximately thirty people came to the

lecture.

NP

Pre-modifier HW

Adv Det

N

Approximately thirty

people(Diagram 1.4)

- The report paper

NP

Pre modifier HW

Det. N N The report paper

(Diagram 1.5)

If we take a look at those examples, we can see the

difference. The difference amongs them is the word that

modified noun as the head word of the phrase. Before

discuss them all, I want to explain what is determiner as

what i’ve read on website. Determiner is a word that

difference to pronoun, it always followed by a noun. It

is used in front of nouns to indicate whether you are

referring to something specific or something of a

particular type.

There are several types of determiners that is

usually used in noun phrase,

1. Articles

a, an, the

2. Numbers (including words that imply numbers)

None, one. two, three, and so on.

3. Possessive

My, your, his, her, its, our, their,

one’s, Jill’s, Gaby’s

4. Other noun determiners

This, that, those, these

In general, theThe noun phrase’s pattern is noun

determiner+modifier+noun head word. In diagram 1.1 we

see a noun phrase with an adjective as a modifier. The

adjective is located in front of the noun or the head

word, so the adjective called pre-modifier. This noun

phrase has ‘my’ as the possessive determiner. Diagram

1.2 is a noun phrase with a verb+ing (gerund) as a

pre-modifier. The type of determiner that it has is an

article determiner. Diagram 1.1 and diagram 1.2 have

the same tree diagram’s scheme with diagram 1.4 and

diagram 1.5. Diagram 1.3 has the different scheme with

other examples because it has pre and post modifier

that flank the noun word or the head word. From those

examples we also can see that noun phrase is a special

phrase because it can be added by almost all of word

classes.To be more understand about noun phrase, there

is a script of The Simpson in the next chapter. I’m

trying to analize which is the noun phrase by drawing a

noun phrase’s table.

B. ANALYSIS

THE CARTRIDGE FAMILY- ACT ONE

The Simpsons watch TV. A commercial comes on. A man barbeques a soccer ball, and throws it towards the camera.

MANOpen wide for some soccer!

Several soccer clips follow, with a voice over.

TV ANNOUNCERThe Continental Soccer Association is coming to Springfield! It's all here - fast-kicking, low scoring, and ties? You bet!

BARTHey Dad, how come you've never taken us to see a soccer game?

HOMERI... don't know.

TV ANNOUNCERYou'll see all your favorite soccer stars. Like Adiaga! Adiaga two! Badiaga! Aruglia! And Pizzoza!

HOMEROh, I've never heard of those people.

TV ANNOUNCERAnd they'll all be signing autographs.

HOMERWoohoo!

TV ANNOUNCERThis match will determine once and for all which nation is the greatest on earth - Mexico or Portugal!

BART & LISACan we go Dad, please Dad, Please Dad, can we go Dad, huh, huh, please?

HOMERYes, yes! Oh god, yes!!

The Simpsons arrive at the soccer stadium.

HOMEROh, I'll kill myself if Portugal doesn't win.

MARGEIt's hard to believe this used to be an internment camp.

BARTYo, Paella man! Wing one up here!

The man throws him a bowl of paella, and Bart manages to catch it. Lisa notices Pele walking onto the pitch

LISAHey look! It's Pele!

PELEPele is king of the soccer field. To be king of your kitchen, use Crestfield wax paper.

He is handed a bag of money and walks off. The game starts, and the crowd cheers. The Mexican team kicks off, and pass it between them, again and again... and again... The crowd becomes quiet.

HOMERBoring!

KRUSTYCome on, you schnorrers, do something!

KENT BROCKMAN(in a commentary booth, bored) Half back passes to the center, back to the wing, back to the center. Center holds it. Holds it. Holds it...

MEXICAN COMMENTATOR(excitedly) Half back passes to center, back to wing, back tocenter! Center holds it! Holds it! Holds it!!

SIDESHOW MELI can't bear this any longer, I'm leaving.

MOEHey, not before me you ain't.

FLANDERSNow, now, there's plenty of exits for everyone.

MOEOh, that's it, you're dead, pal!

SKINNERHey now, that's uncalled for.

LENNYShut your hole, Skinner!

He punches Skinner, knocking him into Barney, spilling his beer. Barney gets mad, and dives headfirst into the people fighting, knocking them over. Groundskeeper Willy and his friends watch from nearby.

WILLYAch! You call this a soccer riot? Come on, boys, let's take 'em to school!

The Scots join the fighting, and the riot escalates.

MARGEHomer, we've got to get out of here!

HOMERBut I wanna do some rioting! (he pushes one of the Scotsmen)

SCOTSMANJobbers cognots, ya mucker!

HOMERAll done!

The family run off. Outside, the whole town has engaged in the riot.

The Simpsons watch the TV news.

KENT BROCKMANWhat began as a traditional soccer riot, has escalated into a city-wide orgy of destruction. (He ducks to avoid something being thrown at him.) Reacting swiftly, Mayor Quimby

has declared "mob rule", so, for the next several years, it's every family for itself.

Snake walks out of Ned Flanders' house with a television set.

FLANDERSExcuse me sir, I think you've got my TV. Sir!

LISASomebody's got to stop them!

BARTLet's wait until they burn the school down!

MARGEOh my god! Homer, they're right next door!

HOMERRelax, Marge, if someone tries to get in here, my burglaralarm will let us know.

Homer indicates a contraption by the front door. A fishing line attached to thedoor holds an alarm clock above a goldfish bowl. Somebody tries the door handle. Marge gasps.

HOMER(relaxed) Watch the fish, Marge.

A hand reaches through the mail slot and grabs the fish.

MARGED'oh...

Homer decides to get some better security. He calls out a man from "Ex-Con Security".

SALESMANLooks like you called me just in time. (He pockets several things from the living room.) This home isn't secure at all.

HOMERWhat did I tell ya, Marge?

SALESMANIntruders could come down the chimney, through the mail slot, even hidden in your groceries. Did you change the locks when you moved in? I thought not. All the

previous owners of this house could still be in here somewhere.

MARGEWhat do you recommend?

SALESMANWell, a lot of companies would put in a pretty system that looks good, but doesn't provide any real protection.

HOMEROh, let's get that.

SALESMAN...But if you want to sleep easy at night, I recommend sealing off every door and window with bullet-proof Lucite.

MARGEWouldn't we all suffocate?

SALESMAN(laughing) Well, I should hope not.

HOMERLet's get that - the suffocation thing.

SALESMANAnd you can have it all for only five hundred dollars.

HOMERFive hundred dollars? Aw, forget it.

He pushes the salesman to the door.

SALESMANBut surely, you can't put a price on your family's lives?

HOMERI wouldn't have thought so either, but here we are.

MARGEHomer, we need something to protect this family.

HOMERI couldn't agree more Marjory. You deserve piece of mind,and piece of mind is what you shall have.

Cut to a gun store.

HOMERI'd like to buy your deadliest gun, please.

CLERKAisle six, next to the "sympathy" cards.

NOUN PHRASES IN THE SCRIPT

noun phrase

pre-modifierheadword

post-modifier

determiner modifierdetermi

ner modifiera soccer game a soccer game - -favorite soccer stars -

favorite,soccer stars - -

an internment camp an internment camp - -the soccer field the soccer field - -a soccer riot a soccer riot - -a traditionalsoccer riot a

traditional,soccer riot - -

a city-wideorgy a city-wide orgy - -my burglar alarm my burglar alarm - -the mail slot the mail slot - -a pretty system a pretty system - -real protection - real

protection - -

bullet-proof Lucite - bullet-proof Lucite - -deadliest gun - deadliest gun - -the "sympathy" cards the sympathy cards - -the simpsons the - simpsons - -

tv - - TV - -a commercial a commercial   - -a man a - man - -a soccer ball a soccer ball - -the camera the - camera - -autographs

- -autograp

hs - -we - - we - -window - - window - -the suffocationthing the suddovation thing - -a bowl of paella a bowl, of paella - -king of thesocccer field - - king -

of, soccerfield

king of your kitchen - - king -

of,kitchen

crashfield wax paper -

crashfield,wax paper - -

a bag of money a bag. of money - -The Mexicanteam the Mexican team - -the crowd the - crowd - -his beer his - beer - -his friends his - friends - -a soccer riot a soccer riot - -the whole town the whole town - -mob rule   mob rule - -the next several years

the, next,several - years - -

a a - contrapt - -

contraption iona fishing line a fishing line - -the door the - door - -an alarm clock an alarm clock - -the mail slot the mail slot - -some bettersecurity some better security - -the chimney the - chimney - -the locks the - locks - -the previous owners the previous owners - -a lot of companies a, lot of

companies - -

every door - every door - -

C. CONCLUSION

Phrase is a group of word which one word is a head

word and the other word is the modifier. Sometimes the

head word could be a phrase itself. The head word is the

main word which is being the focuss of the phrase, for

example the noun phrase has a noun as the head word, the

verb phrase has a verb as the head word, and so on. Noun

phrase may has modifiers from adjective, adverb,

preposition, noun, or even verb. It also has determiners

which usually located before noun or the head word. It

may has only pre-modifier or post-modifier and both of

them.

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