Can the word "attached" used as a noun?

Question

I am confused about this word "attached" when I receive a letter begins like this: Dear XX, attached is a document for…… Here, the word "attached" is used somehow like a noun which means attachment, is that right?

Does this answer your question? Is "attached is the receipt" an inverted sentence or reduced relative clause? — Laurel, Nov 10 '20 at 03:13

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 05 '19 at 12:55

2

No, attached is an adjective adjected to the noun document. What confuses you is the word order. Your example is equivalent to

.. a document for .. is attached.

Changing the word order does not change the role of attached.

answered Apr 05 '19 at 12:55

Toothrot

1,062

Ach so! Vielen Dank! Thank you very much! – Sissel Apr 05 '19 at 13:42

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 05 '19 at 16:42

2

[1] Dear XX, a document for x is attached.

[2] Dear XX, attached is a document for x

No: "attached" is not a noun but an adjective.

This is about subject-dependent inversion:

[1] is the basic version, but [2] combines the preposing of the AdjP "attached" and postposing of the subject NP "a document for x".

answered Apr 05 '19 at 16:42

BillJ

12,832

What is an AdjP? (Do English words admit of this typographical form?) What is an NP? – Toothrot Apr 05 '19 at 20:03
@Toothrot AdjP=adjective phrase, NP=noun phrase. These are fairly standard abbreviations throughout the world of grammar. The others are VP (verb phrase), DP (determinative phrase), AdvP (adverb phrase), PP (preposition phrase). – BillJ Apr 06 '19 at 06:51

Can the word "attached" used as a noun?

2 Answers2