The speaker discusses the concept of a subject in syntax, emphasizing that it is not limited to a person or individual. A subject can be any expression that refers to the verb in a sentence. The speaker explains that there are five types of subjects:
1. **Simple subject**: a single word or phrase that refers to the verb, such as "the spotted cows."
2. **Compound subject**: two or more words or phrases that refer to the verb, such as "the spotted cows and the black oxen."
3. **Hidden subject**: a subject that is implied but not explicitly stated in the sentence, often indicated by the verb conjugation, such as "we are happy" where "we" is implied.
4. **Indeterminate subject**: a subject that is not clearly defined, such as "they" in the sentence "they bought bread and cheese."
5. **Non-existent subject**: a sentence that does not have a subject, such as "it rained a lot" or "there were screams outside," where the verb is impersonal and in the third person singular.
The speaker provides examples and explanations to illustrate each type of subject, emphasizing the importance of understanding the concept of a subject in syntax analysis.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The subject of a sentence is the expression that directly refers to the verb.
2. The subject can be a noun, a pronoun, or an adjective substantiated.
3. The subject never begins with a preposition.
4. There are five types of subjects: simple, compound, hidden, indeterminate, and non-existent.
5. A simple subject is a single word or expression that directly refers to the verb.
6. A compound subject consists of two or more words or expressions that directly refer to the verb.
7. A hidden subject is a subject that is implied but not explicitly stated in the sentence.
8. An indeterminate subject is a subject that cannot be determined from the sentence alone.
9. A non-existent subject is a subject that does not exist in the sentence, often found in sentences with verbs that express natural phenomena or the existence of something.
10. Verbs that express natural phenomena, such as "it rained," do not have a subject.
11. The verb "to exist" in the sense of "existing" is impersonal and does not have a subject when it is in the third person singular.
12. The verb "to do" can be impersonal and not have a subject when it is used to express elapsed time.
13. In Portuguese, the verb conjugation can indicate the subject of the sentence.
14. The pronoun "we" can be a hidden subject in a sentence when it is implied but not explicitly stated.
15. Context is important in determining the subject of a sentence, especially when dealing with indeterminate subjects.