Terms

• appositive
• nonrestrictive
• restrictive

Resources

Updated:  04/19/01

Appositives

Introduction

The appositive is a central component as a modifer of nouns.  The appositive, a structure that is a noun or noun phrase which renames another structure, is identified as either nonrestrictive or restrictive.    The nonrestrictive appositive is a modifier in the noun phrase that is not essential for identifying what it is renaming and it is set off by commas.   For example, in the sentence Whitney Houston, a famous singer, performed on campus today, the appositive "a famous singer" is not essential to identifying who Whitney Houston is, therefore it is set off by commas. Therestrictive appositive is a modifier in the noun phrase whose function is to restrict the meaning of the noun.  The restrictive appositive is also essential to identifying what it is renaming, and it is not set off by commas.  For example, in the sentence Singer Whitney Houston sang on campus today, the appositive "Whitney Houston" is essential to identifying who the singer is, therefore it is not set off by commas. 

Historically, the appositive was used by both Geoffrey Chaucer in the Middle English Period during the 14th century as well as by William Shakespeare in the Early English Period during the 16th century.  Chaucer used the appositive in his "Canterbury Tales" to add additional information when describing the various travelers who were making their pilgrimage to Canterbury.   For example, Chaucer describes the Knight's son in this way:  "With him ther was his sone, a yong Squier, A lovere and a lusty bacheler..." (79 & 80).  You can see that the appositive (as italicized) adds additional and specific information about the Knight's son which allows the reader a window into the personality of the Squire.  William Shakespeare used the appositive in his play "The Taming of the Shrew" for comic effect.  For example, in Act II, Scene I the character Petruchio describes Kate in this way:  "...But Kate, the prettiest Kate in Christendom, Kate of Kate-Hall, my super-dainty Kate..." (187 & 188).  Shakespeare's use of the appositive is used differently from that of Chaucer.  Shakespeare uses the appositive for comic effect  when Petruchio attempts to woo Kate for his wife and this is part of his "taming" her. 

Punctuation

After viewing the nonrestrictive and restrictive appositive, you should understand that punctuation plays an important role.  It is also important to realize that not only are commas used with appositives but colons and dashes are as well.  The colon will normally introduce an appositive but only if the introductory words are an independent clause.  For example, The Literature Museum of Artifacts in North Carolina now exhibits Kate Chopin's famous works:  those extraordinary short stories.  On the other hand, the dash is used to emphasize an appositive and the words that are set off in dashes are always placed next to or near the words they explain.  For example, Many professors--Dr. Plath, Dr. Armstrong, and Dr. James--have had their works published by major publishing houses.  Finally, appositives are used to prevent short, choppy sentences which occur when two separate sentences can be combined to form one good sentence.   For example, America's King of Rock and Roll died young.  He was Elvis Presley.  In order to correct these two short choppy sentences, we would combine them and write the new sentence as America's King of Rock and Roll Elvis Presley died young. 

Implications

Writing effectively requires the ability to write clear, appealing sentences that can be understood and enjoyed.  When clarity is skewed, communication breaks down and we are left confused and floundering as to how to proceed next.  When the message is unappealing, we lose interest and the reading becomes monotonous.  The appositive, for all of its lesser known qualities, comes to the rescue of such unorganized and unappealing works.  The appositive steps in and specifies, in many cases, who or what we are writing about.  After all, many times comprehension lies in our specificity.  Furthermore, being specific about a person or thing can mean the difference between being successful or unsuccessful.  This is not only true for communicating with our business associates, but our family and friends as well.  The appositive also "tightens up" the sentence structure and obliterates what would otherwise be choppy, fragmented sentences.    In short, the appositive is an agent in producing a well-written piece of work which comprises good sentence formation and description.

In literature, appositives add detail and vibrance to perhaps an otherwise uncolorful piece of work.  Literature is perhaps the more descriptive because of its use of appositives.  Many writers including Henry James, William Butler Yeats, James Joyce, T. S. Eliot, and Wallace Stevens have been known for their employment of the appositive.  James, Butler, Yeats, Joyce, Eliot, and Stevens were not alone in their utilization of the appositive.  According to J. E. Bunselmeyer of "Faulkner's Narrative Styles," William Faulkner exhausted the appositive in his works.  He did this to craft "differences in tone and point of view" which could be "created" through the "different syntactic styles" (425).  Furthermore, Bunselmeyer maintains that in Faulkner's works, "appositives, which are so lengthy and so numerous that the original noun is lost sight of as it is amplified and absorbed by all the things it stands for an can be equated with" (425).  Just as Stevens implemented appositives for analogy so did Faulkner for comparison. 

Exercise

_____1.  "London", a poem by William Wordsworth, is the most revealing   poem I've ever read.
_____2.  William Faulkner's novel The Sound and the Fury is an unusual   book.
_____3.  James Fenimore Cooper, author of The Pioneers, is an extremely descriptive writer.
_____4.  William Butler Yeats' poem "When You Are Old" is my favorite poem.
 

In the following sentences, place the appropriate punctuation next to or near the appositive.  Notes:  Colon or Dash

1.  My favorite movies The Ghost of Mississippi, Amistad, Roots portray the plight of black people.

2.  My daughter likes three songs "Reflection," "Say My Name," "Four Days 
Late."

3.  A dancer might need many things a leotard, tights, and a pair of ballet slippers. 

4.  A man of little education yet hardworking, Ralph nevertheless reminded many that he had achieved the American dream a job, a home, and a tidy sum in a bank account. 

Rewrite the following short, choppy sentences.

1.  Langston Hughes was influential during the Harlem Renaissance.  He was a poet.

2.  "I Will Always Love You" was sung by Dolly Pardon and Whitney   Houston.  "I Will Always Love You" was a popular song.

3.  North Carolina is my favorite state.  North Carolina has beautiful beaches
and mountains.

4.  I love eating at The Outback.  The Outback is my favorite restaurant.
 

Bibliography

Kolln, Martha.  Understanding English Grammar.  3rd Ed.  New York:  MacMillan Publishing Company, 1990.

Kolln, Martha.  Understanding English Grammar.  5th Ed.  New York:  MacMillan Publishing Company, 1998.

The Norton Anthology of English Literature.  6th Ed.  M. H. Abrams, Ed.  New York:  W. W. Norton & Company, 1996.

The Riverside Shakespeare.  2nd Ed.  New York:  Houghton Mifflin Company, 1997.