"Heavy NP shift" is a particular manifestation of shifting where a "heavy" noun phrase (NP) appears in a position to the right of its canonical position under certain circumstances. Although the term is coined according to the tradition of transformational grammar, which describes the process to be done by movement of the NP, the term is also used by linguists who do not believe in transformational grammar. Heaviness is determined by the grammatical complexity. Ross (1967) may have been the first to look at heavy NP shift in some detail. See the article on shifting for examples and discussion.
Famous quotes containing the words heavy and/or shift:
“The Danaan children laugh, in cradles of wrought gold,
And clap their hands together, and half close their eyes,
For they will ride the North when the ger-eagle flies,
With heavy whitening wings, and a heart fallen cold....”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
“They shift coffee-houses and chocolate-houses from hour to hour, to get over the insupportable labour of doing nothing.”
—Richard Steele (1672–1729)