The phrase functions grammatically as a noun phrase. The core noun is "people," which is modified by two elements. The term "September 11th" acts as a noun adjunct, specifying the historical and temporal context of the individuals. The word "falling" is a present participle that serves as a postpositive adjective, describing the state or action of the people. This linguistic construction isolates a specific group by defining them through a single, catastrophic event and their final action, creating a stark label rather than a complete sentence.
The grammatical structure of this phrase carries significant semantic weight. The use of the present participle ("-ing" form) conveys a sense of immediate and ongoing action, suspending the subjects in a continuous present. This linguistic choice is more visceral than a simple past tense, as it emphasizes the process rather than the result. As a conceptual unit, this noun phrase is highly effective for digital information retrieval, functioning as a tag to categorize and access documentation of a specific, traumatic aspect of the attacks. The structure's directness avoids euphemism, forcing a confrontation with the stark reality of the event.
Recognizing this construction as a noun phrase is crucial for interpreting its role in media and historical discourse. It transforms a human tragedy into a distinct subject for analysis, exemplified by controversial photographs and footage from the event. This grammatical framing of an action into a noun-based concept has ethical implications, as it risks objectifying the victims by focusing on their shared fate over their individual identities. Ultimately, the classification of the event into this type of phrase demonstrates how language packages trauma, making an almost incomprehensible moment a definable, though deeply unsettling, element of collective memory.
