Multiple Simultaneous Functions

From: clayton stirling bartholomew (c.s.bartholomew@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Thu Jan 15 1998 - 05:05:09 EST


This is a very basic question. Can a single syntactic element in a clause have
multiple simultaneous functions at the same level of analysis?

I have been thinking for some time about comments more than one senior member
of the list have made about the functions of circumstantial participles. These
comments appear to affirm that a circumstantial participle can function
*simultaneously* both as an adverb and as an adjective in apposition to a
substantive.

It is the simultaneous aspect of this question that is bothering me. I have
always operated on the assumption that, in any single instance, a syntactic
element in a clause can serve only one function at a given level of analysis.
If this is not the case then I will need to rethink a lot of things.

Can anyone help me on this?

-- 
Clayton Stirling Bartholomew
Three Tree Point
P.O. Box 255  Seahurst WA 98062


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