Suggested Answers and Hints - Chapter 8c them = Mary and Fanny or them = other people
Them is a personal pronoun therefore there is no need for an antecedent within the
clause [Jack and Bob were making dinner for them]. There is a possible antecedent
(Mary and Fanny) in the subordinate clause [while Mary and Fanny were sleeping],
since them requires a plural referent, and Mary and Fanny refers to two people.
However, them can have other, previously mentioned people as its antecedent, who are
not mentioned in this sentence.
d themselves = Jack and Bob
Themselves is a reflexive, that is, it must have an antecedent within the clause [Jack
and Bob were making dinner for themselves]. The antecedent of themselves must be
plural, thus, the only possible DP is Jack and Bob.
e she = Edith or she = Sarah or she = another female
She is a personal pronoun referring to a singular female person. Since it is a personal
pronoun, it does not have an antecedent within the clause [that she would never be able
to live alone]. Nevertheless, outside the clause there are two possible antecedents: both
Edith and Sarah are singular and female. What is more, we should not forget the
possibility that the antecedent of she is not mentioned in this piece of discourse, that is,
she refers to a third female person. Thus, the sentence is ambiguous: we cannot decide
whether she refers to Sarah or Edith or another female.
f he = Harry or he = another male
He is a personal pronoun referring to a singular male person It does not have an
antecedent within the clause [he always gets angry], however, Harry is an available
antecedent in the previous clause because it refers to a male person. On the other hand,
the possibility for referring to another male not mentioned in this sentence should not
be neglected.
g her = Mrs Green or her = another female
Her is a pronoun therefore it can have an antecedent outside its clause or, in the case of
her neighbour, outside its DP. Mrs Green has the properties of being female and
singular, so it can be an antecedent for her. On the other hand, the antecedent of a
pronoun may not be spelled out in the same sentence or DP, thus, her can have another
female antecedent that has been mentioned earlier in the discourse.
his = neighbour or his = another male
His is a pronoun, therefore it cannot have an antecedent within the DP it occurs.
Outside the DP, her neighbour is a possible antecedent for his, since his requires a
singular male antecedent and her neighbour is singular and is not marked for gender,
that is, it can be interpreted as male. However, it can be that his refers to another male
not present in this sentence.
he = neighbour or he = another male
He is a personal pronoun referring to a singular male person. It does not have an
antecedent within the clause [while he would be away], however, her neighbour is a