Among dependent monemes – those that are neither independent, autonomous, nor function indicators – one should distinguish the ones that assume some primary function from the ones whose function is not primary. The former could be designated as primary dependents, and the latter as marginal dependents, or determinants; in the above sentence [ 'yesterday, the head of the department dictated a four-page letter to the secretary he had just engaged'], 'head' is a primary dependent, 'the' (in 'the head') and 'department' are marginal dependents, 'the' (in 'the department') is, of course marginal too, but marginal to the already marginal 'department'.
- Martinet (1962), a pag.50