The term "11 sep memorial" is a noun phrase. The core of this phrase is the noun "memorial," which identifies the subject as a place or structure of remembrance. The initial component, "11 sep," functions as a proper adjective, modifying the noun by specifying the particular event being commemorated.
In this construction, the word "memorial" serves as the head of the phrase, determining its grammatical role in a sentence (e.g., as a subject or object). The modifier "11 sep" narrows the focus from any memorial to the specific one related to the events of September 11th. This adjectival use of a date is a common linguistic convention for naming significant historical entities, providing clarity and context in a concise manner.
Understanding this grammatical function is critical because it establishes the article's subject as a specific, tangible entity. It frames the topic not as an action (a verb like "to memorialize") or a quality (an adjective like "memorial"), but as a definite place or institution. This directs the article's focus toward describing its physical attributes, purpose, history, and impact, providing a concrete and well-defined subject for analysis.