LI 2013 NATHALIE F. MARTIN S YNTAX

Table of Content I. Grammatical vs. Ungrammatical Grammatical vs. Ungrammatical II. The Sentence The Sentence III. Phrases Phrases IV. Tree Diagrams /Labelling Phrases Tree Diagrams /Labelling Phrases V. Inflection Inflection VI. Syntax & Ambiguity Syntax & Ambiguity VII. Deep Structure vs. Surface Structure Deep Structure vs. Surface Structure VIII. Moves Moves Rowe & Levine (2012): p O’Grady & Archibald (2009) p

Definition: Syntax A child’s definition “All the money collected at church from sinners” (Taken from Laughing Matters, by Phil Callaway) Syntax: The analysis of sentence structure

Grammatical vs Ungrammatical

Grammatical or Ungrammatical? 1. The boy found the ball 2. The boy found quickly 3. The boy found in the house 4. The boy found the ball in the house 5. David slept the baby 6. David slept soundly

KEEP IN MIND  Written versus spoken  Formal versus informal (or even slang)  Right or wrong?

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES TO THE SENTENCE The Sentence

PERSPECTIVES What do you see?  How would you describe it? Why different answers:  Perspectives/background  Different descriptions

PHRASE TYPES PHRASE STRUCTURE Phrase

1 st Perspective of the Sentence The most minimal view.  Constituents:  Subject (topic of the sentence)  Predicate (comment or assertion made about the topic)  Ex: The cat is the most beautiful in the world.

1 st Perspective of the Sentence Types of sentences based on grammatical construction A. Simple sentence: 1 Subject + 1 Predicate Ex: The boy went swimming. ( Subject & Predicate )

1 st Perspective of the Sentence Types of sentences based on grammatical construction B. Compound sentence: (Subject & Predicate) + (Subject & Predicate) = Subject + CONJ + Subject + predicate = Subject + predicate CONJ + predicate ( Subject & Predicate )

1 st Perspective of the Sentence Types of sentences based on grammatical construction B. Compound sentence: Ex: (The boy went swimming) + (The girl went swimming) = The boy and the girl went swimming. ( Subject & Predicate )

( Subject & Predicate ) 1 st Perspective of the Sentence Types of sentences based on grammatical construction C. Complex sentence: (Simple: Subject & Predicate) + SUBORDINATING CONJ + (Dependant: Subject & Predicate) (Etc.)  Ex: The cat slept WHILE the dog ate. Ex: The cat slept WHILE the dog ate.

1 st Perspective of the Sentence Types of sentences based on grammatical construction D. Compound-Complex sentence:  Ex:  Although I like to go camping  (Dep clause),  I haven't had the time to go lately  (Ind clause), AND  I haven't found anyone to go with  (Ind clause). ( Subject & Predicate )

nd Perspective of the Sentence Types of sentences based on meaning, purpose or voice:  Declarative  Interrogative  Imperative  Exclamatory  Negative  Active or passive voice

3 rd Perspective of the Sentence Study of the sentence based on grammatical construction.  Phrases:  Heads of phrases + dependants (specifiers + complements) Nouns, verbs, prepositions, adjectives, etc.

PHRASE TYPES PHRASE STRUCTURE Phrase

Let’s Try it Out How would you divide this sentence? a) The children put the brand new toys in the box.  Definition of “phrases”:  independent linguistic objects with their own characteristics and internal structure

From Phrase Structure to Sentence Structure We form sentences by combining words into phrasal constituents, phrases into larger constituents, and these constituents into sentences.

Phrase types Noun Phrase (NP): Functions like a noun  Ex. The car, a clever student Verb Phrase (VP): Functions like a verb  Ex: study hard, play the guitar

Phrase types Adjective Phrase (AP): Functions like an adjective  Ex: pretty, very tall, quite certain Adverb Phrase ( AdvP ): Starts with an adverb / modify verbs  Ex: all day, for many days, at noon, like a child, to prove her intelligence

Phrase types Prepositional Phrase (PP): Starts with preposition (Prep) [in, on, with, etc.]  Ex: in the class, above the earth

Phrase Structure Rules NP  (Det) N (PP) PP  P NP The bus (NP) The NDet bus The bus in the yard NP The NDet bus PP in NPP the DetN yard

Phrase Structure Rules VP  V (NP) (PP) S  NP (Aux) VP took the money (VP) took NPV took the money from the bank VP took NP V PP from NPP the DetN bank the DetN money the DetN money

Head Types In Noun Phrase (NP):  Functions like a noun, head is noun (N)  Ex. The car, a clever student In Verb Phrase (VP):  Functions like a verb, head is verb (V)  Ex: study hard, play the guitar In Adjective Phrase (AP):  Functions like an adjective, head is adjective (Adj)  Ex: very tall, quite certain In Prepositional Phrase (PP):  Head is preposition (Prep) [in, on, with, etc.]  Ex: in the class, above the earth

Phrase Structure Phrase (XP) { Specifier } Head (X) { Complement(s) } The specifier narrows the meaning of the head. The complements give more information about the head. All phrases have the same basic structure:

Specifier types In NPs, specifiers are determiners like a, the, this, that, these, those. In VPs, specifiers are adverbs like always, never, seldom, often. In APs, specifiers are degree words like very, quite, too, so. In PPs, specifiers are adverbs like almost, nearly.

Complement types In NPs, complements can be PPs: cabin by the lake, book on the table. In VPs, complements can be NPs or PPs: ate the cookies, ate at the park. In APs, complements can be PPs: happy about the new job. In PPs, complements are NPs: at the park.

Sentence structure The basic English sentence (S or IP) structure is: S (or IP) NP (Subject) For this course, we will use either IP (for “inflection”) found in your textbook or S (for sentence) VP (Predicate)

Simple Sentence The NP and VP might only contain a head (no specifiers or complements): S NP VP N V Bill swims

Simple sentence 1 S NP VP Det N V The boy swims The boy swims.

Simple sentence 2 S NP VP Det N V PP Prep NP Det N The boyswims in the stream The boy swims in the stream.

Simple sentence 3 S NPVP Det N PP V PP Prep NP Prep NP N Det N The boy from Ohio swims in the stream The boy from Ohio swims in the stream.

Tree Diagrams / Labelling Phrases

Example with brackets How would you devide this sentence into phrases? The children put the toys in the box [The children] [ put [the toys] [i n [the box] ] ]

The Main Phrase Structure Rules 1. S  NP VP 2. NP  (Det) (AP) N (PP) 3. VP  (Aux) V (NP) 4. PP  (Deg) P (NP)

Up Side Down Trees Phrases (Phrases) Words Sentence (+ Infl) Syntactic Categories

O’Grady, p. 181 How to build trees structures:

Example - Phrase Tree (1) play with the toy V play VP NP the DetN toy How to Build a Tree (O’Grady, p. 181) VP PP P with

Draw the tree Structure of phrase 1. repair the telephone 2. the success of the program 3. a film about pollution 4. move towards the window 5. The end of the road

Example – Sentence Tree (2) He likes the toy. VN likes S NPVP He NP the DetN toy How to Build a Tree (O’Grady, p. 181)

Example – Sentence Tree (2) The children like the toy. VPP in NPP the DetN boxThe N put S NPVP Det children NP the Det N toy How to Build a Tree (O’Grady, p. 181)

Example – Sentence Tree (3) The children put the toy in the box. V PP in NPP the DetN boxThe N put S NPVP Det children NP the DetN toy How to Build a Tree (O’Grady, p. 181)

Draw the structure trees for the following sentences Draw the tree structure of the following sentences: a) Those guests should leave. b) Maria never ate a brownie. c) That shelf will fall. d) The glass broke. e) The student lost the debate. f) The manager may offer a raise. Question # 5 (a–f) p. 187 (O’Grady)

THE TENSE OF THE SENTENCE TENSE

Tense of a Sentence? What is the tense of this sentence? a) He plays. b) He will play. c) He has played. What marks the tense of the sentence? What characterises these sentences? Modal auxiliary

« Inflection » or TENSE Abstract category dubbed « tense » and sometimes « Infl » for inflection that indicates the tense of the sentence.  Within the VP

Example (1) The old tree will sway in the wind. old VPP in NPP the DetN wind The N sway S NPVP DetAdj tree Aux Past (- Pst) will Future Infl

Example (2) The old tree swayed in the wind. old VPP in NPP the DetN wind The N swayed S NPVP DetAdj tree Past (+ Pst) (Past tense) Infl

TENSE Circle the elements which occupy the “tense” Underline the VP a) Jane did solve the mystery. b) Jane will patiently wait for John in the garden. c) Marilou was snoring again in the kitchen.

Draw the structure trees for the following sentences a) Those guests should leave. Question # 5 (a–f) p. 187 (O’Grady) Those guests should leave. NP S (IP) V VP Aux N Det

Draw the structure trees for the following sentences b) Maria never ate a brownie. Question # 5 (a–f) p. 187 (O’Grady) NP N VP V N S (IP) Maria never ate a brownie NP Det Adv AdvP

What was Understood? THOUSAND DOLLAR BILLS ARE FINE FOR LITTERING. How can we change this sentence to make it clear? What should we add? A 1000$ FINE FOR LITTERING. (YOU CAN RECEIVE A 1000$ FINE FOR LITTERING IF CAUGHT) Syntax & Ambiguity

Ambiguity: a word, phrase or sentence with multiple meanings Synthetic buffalo hides (NP) Synthetic buffalo hides Buffalo hides that are synthetic.Hides of synthetic buffalo.

Ambiguities often lead to humorous results For sale: an antique desk suitable for lady with thick legs and large drawers.  what does “thick legs and large drawers” refer to? The desk or the lady?

Structural Ambiguity (1) The boy saw the man with the telescope VPP with NPP the DetN telescopeThe N saw S NPVP Det boy NP the DetN man

Structural Ambiguity (2) The boy saw the man with the telescope V PP with NPP the DetN telescopeThe N saw S NPVP Det boy NP the DetN man

« Inflection » TENSE

Deep Stucture and Surface Structure

Transformation 1.How can we interpret “all mimsy were the borogroves”? 2.How can we find the category of “mimsy”? 3.How can you transform the sentence to make it more understandable (syntactically)?

Can You Find the Deep Structure

Draw the deep structure of the following sentences (adapted from #10 & 11, p.242) 1. Will the boss hire Hillary? 2. Is that player leaving the team? 3. Who should the director call? 4. What is Joanne eating?

DECLARATIVE – INTERROGATIVE YES-NO QUESTIONS DO INSERTION WH MOVEMENT Transformation

Movement Transformation Deletion Transformation Insertion Transformation Substitution Transformation

From One Sentencfe to The Other Look at these sentences: 1. What do we need to do to transform it from one sentence structure to the other? a) Will the boy leave? b) Which car is your’s?

Declarative – Interrogative Move the auxiliary to the left of the subject. The boy will leave. S VPNP Det Aux N Theboywillleave Will the boy leave? S VPNP Det Aux N theboyWillleave The deep structure The surface structure VV

The Wh Movement Surface structure: Which car should the man repair? Deep structure: V N carThe N repair S NPVP Det man NP which Det Aux should

Ask Your Own Wh- Questions