302 GlossaryLexeme. Unit corresponding to a word seen abstractly enough to include all of its
inflectional forms: take, takes, took, taken, and taking are the forms of the
lexeme take.
Lexical base. Starting point for describing inflectional forms of a lexeme. Usually
one form is identical with the lexical base; the others are formed from it by
suffixes or modifications.
Lexical verb. A verb belonging to the vast majority that are not auxiliary verbs.
Licensing. A head licenses a dependent when only a subset of expressions filling
the head position allow a dependent of that kind. In I broke a cup, for example,
the object a cup is licensed by break since it can occur with only some verbs -
not, for example, with sneeze.
Main clause. Normally, a clause that is not embedded as a dependent within
some larger clause. A prototypical main clau se can stand alone as a sentence: It
is raining.
Matrix clause. Clause within which a subordinate clause is embedded. In I think
she said he was ill, the underlined clause is the matrix clause in which he was ill
is embedded.
Modal auxiliary. Auxiliary verb that marks mood: can, may, must, will, etc. Modals
lack secondary forms and prototypically license a bare infinitival complement.
Modal preterite. Use of the preterite where the meaning has to do with modality
rather than past time: in He 'd be upset if you knew the preterite suggests that you
may not know (not that you knew).
Modality. A kind of meaning involving non-factuality or non-assertion: He may
know her presents his knowing her as a possibility; Yo u must go presents your
going as an obligation.
Modifier. Optional dependent that does not have to be licensed by the head: ripe
tomatoes; met him in the morning; extremely rich; girl that everyone likes.
Mood. Verbal category expressing various kinds of modality. Mostly marked in
English by modal auxiliaries. The were of I wish that were true is an isolated
irrealis mood form.
Mute e. The letter e when it occurs at the end of a base in written English following
a consonant symbol, and does not itself represent any sound: the e of hopf;., sizf;.,
pleasf;..
Negative clause. The simplest negative clauses are marked by not modifying the
verb (She is not here) or by a verb containing the suffix ·n't (She isn 't here); the
verb in such cases must be an auxiliary. A negative declarative clause prototyp
ically has the opposite truth conditions to its positive counterpart: in a context
where She is here is true, She is not here will be false, and vice versa.
Negative word. Word such as not, isn 't, can 't, nothing, or never that can mark
a negative clause, or a word containing an affix like un· or dis· with meaning
similar to not.
New information. The information in a sentence which is not old information.
Nominal. Unit intermediate between the NP and the noun, head of the NP. The
nominal in the guy who fa inted is underlined. It has the noun guy as its own head.