Afterthought position
Add a noun phrase at the end of a sentence to clarify what a pronoun refers to. Example: 'Den är fin, bilen.' (It's nice, the car.)
How It Works
Right dislocation is a feature of information structure primarily found in spoken language. It involves moving a constituent, usually a noun phrase, to the end of the clause, outside of its main structure. A pronoun that refers to this moved element, known as a resumptive pronoun, is left in the original position within the clause.
Structure:
[Main Clause with Pronoun], [Dislocated Noun Phrase]
Function:
- Clarification: The speaker says something with a pronoun and then realizes the listener might not know what it refers to. The dislocated phrase clarifies the antecedent.
- Afterthought: The speaker adds information that occurs to them after the main part of the sentence is already complete.
- Supplementary information: The final phrase is often weakly stressed and identifies an already relevant referent. A strongly stressed correction or new contrast can have a different information-structure analysis.
For example, instead of the standard sentence:
'Den där gamla boken är väldigt intressant.' (That old book is very interesting.)
With right dislocation, it becomes:
'Den är väldigt intressant, den där gamla boken.' (It's very interesting, that old book.)
This structure is the opposite of left dislocation, where the element is moved to the front of the sentence. While common and natural in speech, right dislocation is generally avoided in formal writing.
The name “afterthought” does not mean that the referent must be newly introduced. Usually the pronoun first treats it as known, and the final phrase makes its identity explicit. The ordinary clause keeps its own word order; the added phrase stands outside it.
Examples (5)
- Den är verkligen vacker, den här klänningen.
It's really beautiful, this dress.
Word by Word: It is really beautiful, this here dress.
The pronoun 'den' in the main clause refers to 'den här klänningen', which is added at the end for clarification or emphasis.
- Jag såg honom igår, din bror.
I saw him yesterday, your brother.
Word by Word: I saw him yesterday, your brother.
The pronoun 'honom' is clarified by the noun phrase 'din bror' placed at the end.
- Det var ett svårt prov, det där i matematik.
It was a difficult test, that one in math.
Word by Word: It was a difficult test, that there in mathematics.
Here, 'det' refers to the test, which is specified afterwards as 'det där i matematik'.
- De är verkligen sena, dina vänner.
They are really late, your friends.
Word by Word: They are really late, your friends.
The plural pronoun 'de' is used, and the specific group ('dina vänner') is named at the end.
- Man blir trött på det ibland, allt pappersarbete.
One gets tired of it sometimes, all the paperwork.
Word by Word: One becomes tired of it sometimes, all the-paperwork.
This pattern can also be used for abstract concepts. 'Det' refers to 'allt pappersarbete'.
Common Mistakes
Forgetting the pronoun in the main clause.
Jag gillar verkligen, den här boken.Jag gillar den verkligen, den här boken.The core of right dislocation is that the dislocated element clarifies a pronoun. The pronoun ('den' in this case) must be present in the main clause.
Using a pronoun that doesn't agree in gender with the noun.
Jag såg det igår, filmen.Jag såg den igår, filmen.When referring back to this particular film as a common-gender noun, use den. Det also has other uses, such as reference to a whole event; those are different from the noun-reference example here.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Right dislocation (afterthought position) involves completing a sentence with a pronoun and then adding a specific noun phrase at the very end to clarify what that pronoun refers to. To learn this, you need to be comfortable with basic sentence structure, the use of pronouns as subjects or objects, and how to form definite nouns.
- Basic pronouns
Right dislocation typically uses a pronoun (like 'den' or 'hon') as a placeholder for the noun phrase that follows.
Foundations - Word order basics
Understanding standard sentence structure is necessary to recognize how right dislocation adds an extra element outside the main clause.
Foundations - Definite articles
The clarified noun phrase at the end of the sentence is almost always in the definite form, requiring knowledge of how to form definite nouns.
Foundations
Related Patterns
- Topic fronting
This is the direct opposite of right dislocation. Instead of moving an element to the end as an afterthought, left dislocation moves it to the beginning to establish a topic, also leaving a resumptive pronoun.
Level 5 - Topic + pronoun repetition
This is the grammatical term for the pronoun (like 'den', 'honom', 'det') that is left in the original position when an element is dislocated. Understanding this concept is essential for both left and right dislocation.
Level 5 - Fronting for emphasis
Topicalization also involves moving an element to the front of the sentence for emphasis, similar to left dislocation. However, topicalization typically does not leave a resumptive pronoun. Comparing these helps clarify the unique structure of dislocation.
Level 3 - Noun genders
For ordinary reference to a particular noun, match its gender and number: Den är fin, bilen. Det can instead resume a whole clause, predicative or abstract content, so noun-gender matching is not a rule for every dislocated phrase.
Foundations
Practice Afterthought position in Bubblegum
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