Noun ellipsis (N-ellipsis), also noun phrase ellipsis (NPE), is a mechanism that elides, or appears to elide, part of a noun phrase that can be recovered from context. The mechanism occurs in many languages like English, which uses it less than related languages.
Theoretical analyses of N-ellipsis vary, with at least three types of approaches to the phenomenon that a theory can pursue: 1) the true ellipsis analysis, 2) the covert pronoun analysis, and 3) the overt pronoun analysis.
Examples
Standard instances of N-ellipsis in English are introduced by a limited set of determiner- and adjective-like elements (possessives, cardinal and ordinal numbers, other quantifiers). In the examples throughout this article, the ellipsis is indicated using a smaller font and subscripts, the element that introduces the ellipsis is in bold, and the antecedent to the ellipsis is underlined:
When Susan brings her dog, Sam brings his dog too. - N-ellipsis introduced by possessive Jill likes your story even though she hates Bill's story. - N-ellipsis introduced by possessive -s
Because you bought two donuts, I bought three donuts. - N-ellipsis introduced by cardinal number I caught the first train before you caught the second train. - N-ellipsis introduced by ordinal number
Some school kids like syntax, and some school kids don't. - N-ellipsis introduced by a quantifier Each student was helped so that each student would understand. - N-ellipsis introduced by a quantifier
The set of elements that can introduce N-ellipsis in English is limited. Similar quantificational elements, for instance, cannot introduce N-ellipsis:
*No school kid likes syntax, and no school kid likes semantics. - Failed attempt to introduce N-ellipsis with no *Every student was helped, so that every student would understand. - Failed attempt to introduce N-ellipsis with every
Most adjectives in English are also incapable of introducing N-ellipsis:
*Fred watches stupid programs, but Jim watches intelligent programs. - Failed attempt to introduce N-ellipsis with a standard adjective *I value long walks although I only get to take short walks. - Failed attempt to introduce N-ellipsis with a standard adjective
This aspect of N-ellipsis in English distinguishes English from other languages (e.g. German and Dutch), which are much more permissive; they allow most any determiner or adjective to introduce N-ellipsis. Note that English employs the indefinite pronoun one to make such sentences acceptable, e.g. Fred watches stupid programs, but Jim watches intelligent ones.
The examples so far all have the ellipsis following its antecedent. The opposite arrangement is also possible: the N-ellipsis can precede its "antecedent":
If he brings his dog, I'll bring my dog too. - N-ellipsis preceding its "antecedent" Because he did the first two problems, she is going to do that last three problems. - N-ellipsis preceding its "antecedent" Even though he skipped one task, he did do the rest of the tasks. - N-ellipsis preceding its "antecedent"
N-ellipsis behaves like standard personal pronouns in this area; personal pronouns can also precede their antecedents at times, e.g. When he arrives, Bill immediately takes a shower.
Systematic variation
There is systematic variation in forms across some noun phrases that do and do not involve N-ellipsis. This variation is apparent in English with possessives. Possessive determiners cannot introduce N-ellipsis, whereas one can interpret possessive pronouns as doing so. The following table summarizes the competing forms:
{ | class="wikitable" |- ! Possessive determiner !! Possessive pronoun |- | my || mine |- | your || yours |- | his || his |- | her || hers |- | our || ours |- | their || theirs |}
The possessive determiners are systematically incapable of introducing N-ellipsis; if a possessive appears in such cases, it must be the possessive pronoun:
a. *You like your dog, but you don't like my dog. - Possessive determiner my cannot introduce N-ellipsis b. You like your dog, but you don't like mine dog. - Possessive pronoun mine can introduce N-ellipsis
a. *We helped your friends, before we helped our friends. - Possessive determiner our cannot introduce N-ellipsis b. We helped your friends, before we helped ours friends. - Possessive pronoun ours can introduce N-ellipsis