7.1.3. Finding quantifier phrases

The examples of quantifier phrases we have been considering take an especially simple form: a quantifier word modifying a common noun. And these two elements form the core of most quantifier phrases. (Not all, because a sentence like Lions are carnivores achieves the same effect as the generalization Every lion is a carnivore by using the plural rather than a quantifier word.) Words and phrases other than quantifier words can appear as further modifiers of the common noun in a quantifier phrase; in particular, adjectives, relative clauses, and adjectival prepositional phrases often serve this function. For example, in

the underlined quantifier phrase is the bulk of the sentence. Besides the common noun dog and quantifier word every, it employs the adjective large, the prepositional phrase in the neighborhood and the relative clause that was outside last night to further specify the claim that is being made.

We encountered a same array of possible modifiers in the case of definite descriptions and the problem of finding the whole of a definite description has an analogue in the case of quantifier phrases. That is, when locating quantifier phrases, we must be on the lookout for modifiers that are part of the phrase. As was the case with definite descriptions, prepositional phrases and relative clauses are especially problematic here since they appear after the common noun. One test that was suggested for definite descriptions is particularly important in the case of quantifier phrases: try replacing the phrase you have isolated by the pronoun it. This pronoun will not accept modifiers, if you leave any behind, the result will be ungrammatical (or else change the meaning other parts of the sentence because the abandoned modifiers are understood to apply to them). Thus the first sentence below is grammatical, but the second and third are not.

Since we will make such replacements by pronouns as part of the analysis of a quantifier phrase, this test will be performed as a matter of course.

Of course, some contexts will require he, she, or the like, and the test will then be less clear-cut since these pronouns can accept modifiers. What you need to check in this sort of case is whether the pronoun when modified is able to have an earlier antecedent. For example, in Everyone who hesitates is lost, replacing everyone by he gives us the sentence He who hesitates is lost, which is not only grammatical but has the same meaning as the original (when he is understood generically). But we cannot regard he in this context as having an earlier antecedent. In Sam is indecisive and he who hesitates is lost, the pronoun he must still be used to make a general claim and cannot refer only to Sam.

It is also important to avoid slipping between restrictive and non-restrictive relative clauses. For example, Sam was indecisive and he, who hesitated, was lost comes close to being grammatical and he has Sam as its antecedent. But this only works because the relative clause who hesitated is non-restrictive here (note the commas), and it is restrictive in Everyone who hesitated was lost.

Prepositional phrases present a special problem when quantifier phrases are in predicates since prepositional phrases can have adverbial as well as adjectival roles and a prepositional phrase left behind in the predicate when a quantifier phrase is analyzed need not make the sentence ungrammatical. Sentences can even be ambiguous in this respect. For example, Larry heard of a new band in Indianapolis might speak of Indianapolis either as the home of the band or as the place where Larry learned of them. The difference is captured by the following expansions:

The difference can be brought out also by another test suggested in the case of definite descriptions: converting the prepositional phrase into a relative clause. (In the example above, the clause would be that is in Indianapolis or that was in Indianapolis.) Doing so will force the prepositional phrase to be understood as adjectival and thus show the effect of treating it as part of the quantifier phrase. On the other hand, moving a prepositional phrase to the beginning of the sentence will to force to be understood adverbially and thus as not part of the quantifier phrase.

The results of these tests are shown for two sentences below.

These should convince you that (outside of science fiction) the prepositional phrase in the first sentence is probably intended to be adjectival and part of the quantifier phrase while the prepositional phrase of the second is most likely to be adverbial and part of the predicate.