Nonnullsubject

Nonnullsubject is a term used in linguistic typology to denote the subject in a finite clause that is overt and non-elided. It is used in contrast to null-subject (pro-drop) phenomena, where the subject pronoun or noun phrase can be omitted and the reference inferred from verb morphology or context. The label is not universally standardized and appears mainly in discussions contrasting languages with obligatory surface subjects with those that permit ellipsis of the subject.

Usage and implications: In descriptions of nonnull-subject languages, the subject is typically required to surface as a distinct noun phrase or pronoun, even when discourse context might allow the subject to be recoverable. This interacts with subject-verb agreement, word order, and the syntax of argument structure. The concept helps distinguish cross-linguistic patterns in finite clauses rather than representing a separate grammatical category.

Examples: English exemplifies the nonnull-subject pattern in ordinary finite clauses, as in The cat sleeps. By contrast, Spanish often omits the overt subject pronoun in verbs like duerme, depending on context, illustrating null-subject usage.

Relationship to theory: The term is related to the overt-subject versus pro-drop distinction and to broader discussions of SUBJECT PRO and indexing in generative syntax. Some researchers prefer simply to refer to overt subjects or to non-null subjects as needed to avoid confusion with other uses of “nonnull” in logic and semantics.

See also: null subject, pro-drop languages, overt subject, subject-verb agreement.