THE ORGANIZATION OF GRAMMAR When we speak of the organization of grammar we are going to consider two important concepts: RANK and CLASS

RANK It refers to different levels of organization within grammar It refers to different levels of organization within grammar Let’s consider the following example: Let’s consider the following example: People throw stones. People throw stones. This stretch of language consists of one sentence and three words. Sentence and Word are two ranks of grammatical organization

Let’s compare the following sentence with the previous one: Let’s compare the following sentence with the previous one: People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Like the previous sentence (People throw stones), this sentence can be analysed into three units. Two of these units are regarded as expansions of single words in the previous sentence. Like the previous sentence (People throw stones), this sentence can be analysed into three units. Two of these units are regarded as expansions of single words in the previous sentence.

(i) People who live in glass houses (expansion of “people”) (expansion of “people”) (ii) shouldn’t throw (expansion of “throw”) (expansion of “throw”) (iii) stones These units are called GROUPS These units are called GROUPS

SENTENCE Group (i) Group (ii) Group (iii ) Group (i) Group (ii) Group (iii ) W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W People who live in glass houses should n’t throw stones

We also need to recognize an additional rank between group and sentence We also need to recognize an additional rank between group and sentence Let’s analyse the following sentence: Let’s analyse the following sentence: She’s great fun but her husband is rather dull. She’s great fun but her husband is rather dull. The two underlined units are called CLAUSES

CLAUSE COMPLEX CLAUSE COMPLEX Clause 1 Clause 2 Clause 1 Clause 2 Group Group Group Group Group Group Group W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W She ‘s great fun but her husband is rather dull She ‘s great fun but her husband is rather dull

CLASS Terms like noun (N) and verb (V) are names of word classes, what we know as “parts of speech” Terms like noun (N) and verb (V) are names of word classes, what we know as “parts of speech” The words in the sentence The words in the sentence People throw stones. People throw stones. can be labeled according to their class can be labeled according to their class N V N N V N People throw stones People throw stones

The same class labels are also used to name the groups. Thus, The same class labels are also used to name the groups. Thus, People who live in glass houses (NG) People who live in glass houses (NG) shouldn’t throw (VG) shouldn’t throw (VG)

Two other major word classes are: Two other major word classes are: Adjective: That’s good! Adjective: That’s good! Adverb: Fortunately, the situation changed for the better Adverb: Fortunately, the situation changed for the better The same class labels are used to name the groups: The same class labels are used to name the groups: AdjG: … a letter from a very angry parent AdjG: … a letter from a very angry parent AdvG: It is very deeply rooted in the American psyche. AdvG: It is very deeply rooted in the American psyche.

Some grammars use the term “phrase” instead of “group”, for instance: noun phrase and adverbial phrase but in this course the only kind of phrase which we are going to recognize is the “prepositional phrase” Some grammars use the term “phrase” instead of “group”, for instance: noun phrase and adverbial phrase but in this course the only kind of phrase which we are going to recognize is the “prepositional phrase”

What’s the difference between What’s the difference between GROUP GROUP and and PHRASE ? PHRASE ?

A group can be thought of as an expanded word. A phrase, however, is like a mini clause in the sense that the words which follow the prepositions are not expansions of the prepositions but objects of prepositions A group can be thought of as an expanded word. A phrase, however, is like a mini clause in the sense that the words which follow the prepositions are not expansions of the prepositions but objects of prepositions

Examples of prepositional phrases : Examples of prepositional phrases : James is a software designer for a computer company. James is a software designer for a computer company. The students in her class are all from Germany. The students in her class are all from Germany. Here’s an e.mail in English. Here’s an e.mail in English. We often go to the mountains. We often go to the mountains.

How many groups can we identify in SFG? How many groups can we identify in SFG? FOUR FOUR Which are they? Which are they? Nominal Group Nominal Group Verbal Group Verbal Group Adjectival Group Adjectival Group Adverbial Group Adverbial Group How many phrases can we recognize? How many phrases can we recognize? ONLY ONE ONLY ONE The Prepositional Phrase The Prepositional Phrase

In today’s class, we are going to focus In today’s class, we are going to focus on Nominal Group only. on Nominal Group only. As we said before, groups are extended words. When analysing a Nominal Group, we may say that it consists of a main noun or “head word” (called the Thing) and has the potential to be expanded by adding information before the head-word and/or after it. As we said before, groups are extended words. When analysing a Nominal Group, we may say that it consists of a main noun or “head word” (called the Thing) and has the potential to be expanded by adding information before the head-word and/or after it.

If the information is added before the head-word it’s called “pre-modification”. If the information is added before the head-word it’s called “pre-modification”. If the information is added after the head-word it’s called “post-modification”. If the information is added after the head-word it’s called “post-modification”. For example, we could say: For example, we could say: They said they could make him a suit. They said they could make him a suit. or extend the NG further by pre- and post-modification as in or extend the NG further by pre- and post-modification as in They said they could make him the most beautiful suit, with magic cloth that only clever people could see. They said they could make him the most beautiful suit, with magic cloth that only clever people could see.

Now, Let’s do some recognition practice on Now, Let’s do some recognition practice on the Nominal Group and the different the Nominal Group and the different functions each component or constituent functions each component or constituent performs. performs. My brother is a History teacher. My brother is a History teacher. His daughter’s name is Lara. His daughter’s name is Lara. The student bars and cafés are cheap. The student bars and cafés are cheap. That’s one of my sister’s son. That’s one of my sister’s son. There are too many cars on the streets. There are too many cars on the streets. The center of the house is one very big bubble. The center of the house is one very big bubble.

too many cars too many cars Numerative Numerative Thing Numerative Numerative Thing the streets the streets Deictic Thing Deictic Thing

My brother My brother Deictic Thing Deictic Thing A History teacher A History teacher Deictic Classifier Thing Deictic Classifier Thing His daughter’s name His daughter’s name Deictic Deictic Thing Deictic Deictic Thing Lara Lara Thing Thing

The student bars and cafés The student bars and cafés Deictic Classifier Thing Thing Deictic Classifier Thing Thing That That Deitic Deitic one of my sister’s son one of my sister’s son Deictic Deictic Thing Deictic Deictic Thing

The center of the house The center of the house Deictic Deictic Deictic Thing Deictic Deictic Deictic Thing one very big bubble one very big bubble Numerative Epithet Epithet Thing Numerative Epithet Epithet Thing