ofphrase

Ofphrase is a linguistic term used to describe a prepositional phrase headed by the preposition of. In English grammar, ofphrases frequently function as modifiers within noun phrases or as complements in verb phrases, signaling relations such as possession, attribution, origin, content, or measure.

Formation and structure: an ofphrase consists of the word of, often followed by a determiner and a noun, optionally with adjectives or other modifiers. Nested ofphrases are common, as in the color of the car or the length of the paper. Ofphrases can attach to different heads, including nouns and verbs, producing constructions such as the pages of the book or spoke of the plan.

Functions: as a modifier of a noun, an ofphrase can specify a property or relationship (the aroma of the coffee). as a complement of a noun, it can form partitive or possessive readings (a piece of cake, the door of the house). as a complement to a verb, it can indicate topics or things discussed (they spoke of the plan).

Semantics and usage: ofphrases express various relations, including possession, material, content, and topic. They are a central means of linking entities and attributes in English syntax, and they interact with determiner and noun choices to create distinct readings. Nested or repeated ofphrases can increase specificity but may raise ambiguity in long phrases.

Cross-linguistic note: many languages use different prepositions or genitive devices to express similar relations. In English, the of-construction is widespread but can be ambiguous with equivalent possessive forms in some contexts.

See also: prepositional phrase, genitive, partitive construction. References: standard grammar and syntax references discuss the role and behavior of prepositional phrases headed by of.