equi NP deletion

American  

[ek-wee en-pee di-lee-shuhn] / ˈɛk wi ˈɛnˈpi dɪˈli ʃən /

noun

Linguistics.

1. a rule of transformational grammar that deletes the underlying subject of a complement clause if it is coreferential with the subject or object of the main clause, as in John promised to return the money, where the underlying subject (John ) of return has been deleted.

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Etymology

Origin of equi NP deletion

First recorded in 1970–75; short for equivalent NP