Appositionel

Appositionel is a linguistic term used to describe a class of noun phrase constructions in which a second NP is placed in apposition to a core referent, providing supplementary identification, specification, or elaboration. The appositive NP is typically nonrestrictive and adds information without defining the referent.

The term emphasizes the close syntactic relationship between the two NPs while signaling a boundary that is often marked by punctuation or a pause in spoken language. While connected to broader notions of apposition, appositionel highlights the appositive character as a distinct descriptive category in typological work.

Examples commonly cited include sentences such as "The novelist Virginia Woolf, a prominent modernist, wrote many influential works" and "The city of Paris, France's capital, is known for its history." In these cases the second NP adds information about the first without serving as a defining clause.

Cross-linguistically, appositionel-like structures occur in many languages, with variation in order (pre- or post-nominal), punctuation (commas, dashes), and prosody. Some languages employ particles or markers to indicate the appositive relation, while others rely on punctuation or intonation to signal nonrestrictive status.

Relation to related concepts includes appositive constructions, nonrestrictive modifiers, and parenthetical information. Scholarly discussions often address information content, the degree of integration with the head NP, and the signaling role of punctuation or prosody in interpretation.

See also: Appositive, Apposition, Nonrestrictive clause.