SILGLOBALGlossary of
Linguistic Terms

Glossary term P

Predicator

Definition

A predicator is the verb in its functional relation to the clause. It is comparable to the grammatical relations of subject and object.

Discussion

The term predicator can be used to refer to the verbal element in Subject-Ver b-Object constructions, that is, Subject-Predicator-Object. This avoids the confusion of using verb to refer to both a form and a function.

See also

Verb (Linguistics) Subject Object

Sources 1

  1. Crystal 1985, 241–242
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