pronominalization (n.)

A term used in classical TRANSFORMATIONAL GRAMMAR to refer to a RULE which replaces a LEXICAL NOUN PHRASE with a PRONOUN. In later approaches within GENERATIVE grammar, pronouns are BASE-generated. In GOVERNMENT-BINDING THEORY, the term pronominal is used for a type of noun phrase (along with ANAPHORS and R-EXPRESSIONS) of particular importance as part of a theory of BINDING. Pronominals include the class of PERSONAL pronouns, and little and big PRO. A pronominal NP must be FREE in its GOVERNING CATEGORY.