Table 2. Lexicographer's Analysis
| Sense |
Semantic Relation |
Quirk Syntax |
Quirk Paragraph |
Other Prepositions |
Complement Properties |
Attachment Properties |
Subsense category and gloss |
Comments |
| 1(1) |
Whole |
1 |
9.54, 17.38 |
|
|
|
core |
See Quirk 17.39 concerning lexical factors in
'of' vs. genitive construction. Also Quirk 5.115-120 for all genitive
constructions. |
| 2(1a) |
Whole |
1 |
5.115, 9.54, 17.38 |
|
object of which the POA is a part |
noun representing a part of the
complement |
2: specific to cases where POA is a part of the
comp |
|
| 3(1b) |
Whole |
1, 2a |
5.19, 5.25, 9.54, 17.38, 17.50 |
|
object of which the POA is a part, piece, or
sample |
number, quantifier, partitive noun |
2: specific to cases of
quantification |
|
| 3(1b)-1 |
Contents |
1 |
|
|
contents of the POA |
noun denoting a container |
3: extension to uniform contents (as opposed to
constituents) |
See notes. |
| 4(2) |
ScaleValue |
1 |
|
|
a quantity or value, often numerical; otherwise
a plural noun |
noun denoting scale or measure |
core |
I include here uses of 'of' after comparatives
and superlatives, since some judgment of measure is usually implied: the
silliest of the things he said, the more mature of the two. |
| 5(2a) |
Age |
1 |
|
|
number denoting age |
noun denoting a person |
2: specific to scale of age in
years |
|
| 6(3) |
Possessor |
1 |
5.116, 5.126, 17.46 |
|
person or thing admitting of features,
possessions, or representatives |
sth beleonging to, representing, or an inherent
quality of the complement |
core |
|
| 6(3)-1 |
DefiningQuality |
1, 3a |
9.55 |
for |
a quality or defining
characteristic |
nouns mainly denoting people or
works |
3: extension to notion of defining
quality |
when in predicate, nearly always follows a
copula. See notes. |
| 7(3a) |
Creator |
1 |
17.42, 17.46, 17.54 |
from, by |
an artist, writer, or other creator |
a created work or oeuvre |
3: extension notion of creator |
|
| 8(4) |
ReferencePoint |
1 |
|
from |
an object or place that exists in
space |
noun or adj denoting direction |
core |
|
| 9(5) |
Species |
1 |
9.60, 17.47,17.48, 17.54, 17.89 |
|
an exemplar or instance of the POA |
noun of general reference, admitting of
types |
core |
|
| 10(5a) |
Exemplar |
1 |
17.40 |
|
any noun |
categorical nouns: sort, type, kind,
category |
2: specific to extremely general
categories |
|
| 11(6) |
Possessor |
1 |
17.41, 17.42 |
|
noun representing the subj. of action denoted
in the POA |
a verbal noun |
core |
See Quirk 17.41ff on direction of predication.
This is often determined by whether the underlying verb-like meaning (as ODE
calls it) is transitive or intransitive. |
| 12(6a) |
Recipient |
1 |
17.41, 17.49, 17.54 |
|
noun representing the obj. of action denoted in
the POA |
usually a verbal noun; some adjs.
included |
2: specific to complements as objs |
|
| 13(6b) |
Concomitant |
3b |
8.85, 17.41 |
about, concerning, with regard to, with respect
to, with reference to, on the part of |
no clear pattern; often an anaphor |
a predicate adj |
2:specific to certain predicate
adjs. |
|
| 14(7) |
Object |
3a |
16.2, 16.57 |
|
no clear pattern; depends on POA |
any of various verbs requiring 'of' for
predication |
core |
sense is more or less empty in ODE; I've
commandeered it for this set of verbs, except those falling under the two
subsenses here. |
| 15(7a) |
MentalContents |
3a |
16.2 |
|
content of the mental state expressed in the
POA |
verb denoting a mental state or
function |
2: specific to verbs denoting mental
states |
|
| 16(7b) |
Cause |
3a |
9.49n, 16.2 |
from, because of |
cause of the action denoted in the
POA |
verb denoting action with a
resultant |
3: extension to the notion of cause |
included here: verbs that require 'of' for
predication with a noun, such as reek, smell, stink, taste |
| 17(8) |
Constituent |
1 |
9.54, 9.61, 17.40 |
|
material that constitutes the POA |
noun denoting sth built or created |
core |
See notes. |
| 18(9) |
Hour |
1 |
|
till, before |
any of the 12 hours of the clock |
unit of time, in minutes or fraction of an
hour |
core |
|
