2.2.2. Vietnamese preposition and prepositional phrase
2.2.2.2. Syntactic features of Vietnamese prepositions
In a Vietnamese sentence, prepositions show the relation of one word to another word. Prepositions require an object to complete them, typically a noun or a pronoun. There are many kinds of functions of prepositional phrases in Vietnamese, including as modifier of other phrases, as complement of other phrases, and as nominal functions.
The function of prepositional phrases as modifier of other phrases can be appeared in noun phrases, adjective phrases, and verb phrases. Prepositional phrases as complement of other phrases can complement noun phrases, adjective phrases, and verb phrases. Prepositional phrases function as nominal function : as a subject, as a subject complement, as a direct object, and as an indirect object.
As Modifier of Other Phrases
Functioning as modifier of other phrases is the grammatical function of prepositional phrase in Vietnam. Prepositional phrases modify noun phrases, adjective phrases, and verb phrases.
For example:
Con chó với bộ lông trắng đang sủa ầm lên (The dog with white fur barked) Thời tiết vào tháng năm rất ấm áp (The weather in May is warm)
Pho mai từ Pháp có lợi khuẩn (Cheese from France with live bacteria) The prepositional phrases với bộ lông trắng, vào tháng năm, and từ Pháp modify the NOUN PHRASES Con chó, Thời tiết và Phô mai.
Cái thảm bị bẩn ở gần cửa (The carpet is dirty near the door)
The prepositional phrase ở gần cửa modifies the ADJECTIVE PHRASE “bẩn”.
Đứa bé đã khóc trong suốt lúc xem phim (The baby was crying during the movie)
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The prepositional phrase trong suốt lúc xem phim modifies the VERB PHRASES
“khóc”.
As Complement of other phrases
Functioning of complement other phrases is the grammatical function of function of prepositional phrase in Vietnamese. Prepositional phrases complement, noun phrases, adjective phrases, and verb phrases. For example, the following prepositional phrases complement other phrases.
For example:
Tác giả của bộ tiểu thuyết vừa mới tới (The writer of the novel just arrived) Những điều chỉnh cho đạo luật mới đã được ban hành (The amendments to the constitution have been launched)
The prepositional phrases của bộ tiểu thuyết and cho đạo luật mới function as complement of the NOUN PHRASES “Tác giả” and “The amendments”.
Tên tôi phạm đã ý thức được về hậu quả (The criminal was aware of the consequences)
The prepositional phrase về hậu quả functions as complement of the ADJECTIVE PHRASE “ý thức”.
Anh ấy khăng về việc ở nhà (He was insisting on staying home)
Trẻ em thường phụ thuộc vào cha mẹ của mình (Children rely on their parents)
The prepositional phrases về việc ở nhà and vào cha mẹ của mình function as complement of the VERB PHRASES, was “khăng” and “phụ thuộc”.
As Nominal Function
Vietnamese prepositions and prepositional phrases can also perform six nominal functions. Nominal function are grammatical function prototypically performed by nouns, noun-phrases, and noun clauses, prepositional phrase of location and time most often perform nominal functions. Also note that, although grammatically possible, prepositional phrases infrequently function as subjects, subject complement, direct objects, object complement, indirect object, and prepositional complement. The six nominal functions of prepositional phrases include examples to illustrate use.
As Subject
A subject is a word, phrase, or clause that performs the action of or acts upon the verb. The following examples of prepositional phrase as a subject, as in:
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Phía sau nhà kho cần sửa chữa (Behind the shed needs repairing)
Sau 10 giờ tối là thời gian không thích hợp để gọi cho tôi (After 10 p.m. is a bad time to call me)
The prepositional phrases phía sau nhà kho andsau 10 giờ tối function as a subject of those sentences.
As Subject Complement
As a subject complement is a word, phrase or clause that follows a copular verb and describe the subject. The following examples demonstrate prepositional phrases as subject complement. For example:
Khoảnh khắc kỳ diệu nhất của ban đêm là nửa đêm (The most magical time of night is after midnight)
Phần it lý thú nhất trong công việc hàng ngày của tôi là vào buổi chiều (My least favorite part of the work day is during the afternoon)
The prepositional phrases của ban đêm and trong công việc hàng ngày function as subject complements of “Khoảnh khắc kỳ diệu nhất” and “Phần it lý thú nhất”.
As Direct Object
A direct object is a word, phrase, or clause that receives the action of a transitive verb. The following examples of preposition at phrase as a subject complement.E.g.:
Chúng ta phải dọn dẹp dưới giường ( We must clean under the bed )
Bố tôi sẽ trang trí trên nóc nhà (My mother will decorate on top of the roof) The prepositional phrases dưới giường and trên nóc nhà function as direct objects that receive the action of transitive verbs “dọn dẹp” and “trang trí”.
As Object Complement
An object complement is a word, phrase or clause that follows and describes the direct object. The following examples of preposition at phrase as object complement.
Các hướng dẫn viên cảnh báo về địa điểm nguy hiểm nhât khi bơi dọc theo bờ biển phía Nam (The tour guides announced the most dangerous place to swim along the southern shore).
Giáo viên chỉ ra phần hiệu quả nhất trong dự án của tôi (The teacher pointed out the most effective part in my project).
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The preposition phrases dọc theo bờ biển phía Nam and trong dự án của tôi function as object complements that describe the direct objects “địa điểm nguy hiểm nhât” and “phần hiệu quả nhất.