syntax the analysis of sentence structure dr. alok k das
TRANSCRIPT
Syntax The analysis of sentence structure
Dr. Alok K Dashttp://www.freewebs.com/alokdas/
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Syntax in Linguistic Tree
Phonetics Phonology
Sounds of language
Linguistics
Grammar
Morphology
Syntax
Meaning
Semantics
Pragmatics
Syntax Dr Alok K Das
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Why syntax?
It’s part of Linguistics It’s part of the grammar of every
language And the grammar of a language is
part of a native speaker’s linguistic knowledge
Syntax Dr Alok K Das
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Reasons for studying syntax Infinity of expressions
There is an infinite number of possible utterances in every language
It is obvious that all these utterances cannot be stored in our brains
Our knowledge of a language consists of A finite number of words (the lexicon; the
“dictionary in your head”), and Rules (the grammar of the language)
It is the job of the syntactician (and the morphologist) to find out what these rules are
Syntax Dr Alok K Das
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Language acquisition Everyone who can speak knows how
to use the rules and it is amazing that children can do it
so fast But nobody can really state exactly
what the rules are! Understanding syntax (and
morphology) can help researchers to understand how young children learn their native language
Syntax Dr Alok K Das
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Universal grammar
Theory of Chomsky UG has Principles, true of all languages
All languages have the same underlying structure e.g. all languages have nouns and verbs
and Parameters, whose setting varies from language to language English and Chinese SVO; Japanese SOV Spanish and Chinese pro-drop; English not
pro-dropSyntax Dr Alok K Das
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All languages have constituents Take a simple sentence
Johnny danced We can call the sentence S, and label the syntactic
categories N and V
S
N Johnny
Vdanced
Syntax Dr Alok K Das
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Phrase structure grammar N and V aren’t always
very good labels Johnny is similar to the
handsome student, because they are both the same kind of constituent They are both Noun
Phrases We can remove
Johnny and add the handsome student, and the sentence structure is still similar
S
NPThe handsome student
VPdanced
Syntax Dr Alok K Das
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Different sentence, same constituents
Now let’s add an object danced the lambada is
the same kind of constituent as danced a VP
You can swap danced for danced the lambada and the basic structure is the same
S
NPThe handsome student
VPdanced the lambada
Syntax Dr Alok K Das
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What are the NP and VP? The frog ate the lizard. The frog sat on the lilypad. The fat frog ate the long lizard slowly. The fat frog with a lizard in its mouth
sat on the lilypad. The fat frog who was sitting on the
lilypad with a lizard in its mouth danced the lambada.
Syntax Dr Alok K Das
Phrase structure rules Now, you know this phrase structure rule:
S NP VP (a Sentence comprises a Noun Phrase followed by a Verb Phrase)
Draw a tree for the phrase Emma drinks Here are two more phrase structure rules:
VP V NP NP N
Think about that carefully Now, draw a tree with more detail
For the sentence Emma drinks whisky
11Syntax Dr Alok K Das
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Now let’s change the NP rule First, DET means determiner
Function words like the, a, this, several NP (DET) N
That means a noun phrase can have a determiner, and it must have a noun
Now you can diagram Johnny danced the lambada in a bit more detail than I did on the other slide
Remember: S NP VP VP V NP)
Syntax Dr Alok K Das
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Now let’s change the NP rule again
Such that we have S NP VP VP V NP NP (DET) (ADJ) N
Now you can diagram this sentence The unhappy book ate the green lambada The sentence is syntactically well-formed,
by the way
Syntax Dr Alok K Das
Grammatical or Ungrammatical:
1. The boy found the ball2. The boy found quickly3. The boy found in the house4. The boy found the ball in the house5. Disa slept the baby6. Disa slept soundly
Find: Transitive verb (with object)Sleep: Intransitive verb (no object)
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Syntactic Categories
Lexical categories Noun (N) Verb (V) Adjective (A) Preposition (P) Adverb (Adv)
Examples moisture, policy melt, remain good, intelligent to, near slowly, now
15Syntax Dr Alok K Das
Syntactic Categories
Non-lexical categories Determiner (Det) Degree word (Deg) Qualifier (Qual) Auxiliary (Aux) Conjunction (Con)
Examples the, this very, more always, perhaps will, can and, or
16Syntax Dr Alok K Das
Indicate the category of each word in the following sentences.
a. The glass suddenly broke.
b. A jogger ran towards the end of the lane.
c. The peaches never appear quite ripe.
d. Gillian will play the trumpet and the drums in the orchestra.
Det / N / Adv / V
Det / N / V / P / Det / N / P / Det / N
N / Aux / V / Det / N / Conj / Det / N / P / Det / N
Det / N / Qual / V / Deg / A
17Syntax Dr Alok K Das
Phrases
NP : Noun PhraseThe car, a clever student
VP : Verb Phrasestudy hard, play the guitar
PP : Prepositional Phrasein the class, above the earth
AP : Adjective Phrasevery tall, quite certain
18Syntax Dr Alok K Das
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
Det N
yard19Syntax
Dr Alok K Das
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
NPV PP
from
NPP
the
Det N
bank
the
Det N
money
the
Det N
money20Syntax
Dr Alok K Das
Draw the tree diagram.
1. repaired the telephone
2. the success of the program
3. a film about pollution
4. move towards the window
5. cast a spell on the broomstick
21Syntax Dr Alok K Das
The main structure rules
1. S NP (Aux) VP
2. NP (Det) (AP) N (PP)
3. VP V (NP) (PP) (Adv)
4. PP P NP
5. AP A (PP)
22Syntax Dr Alok K Das
Example The old tree swayed in the wind
old
V PP
in
NPP
the
Det N
windThe
N
swayed
S
NP VP
Det Adj
tree
Aux
past
23Syntax Dr Alok K Das
Example The children put the toy in the box
V PP
in
NPP
the
Det N
boxThe
N
put
S
NP VP
Det
children
NP
the
Det N
toy
24Syntax Dr Alok K Das
Ambiguity: a word, phrase or sentence with multiple meanings
Synthetic buffalo hides (NP) Synthetic buffalo hides (NP)
Synthetic buffalo hides Synthetic buffalo hides
Buffalo hides that are synthetic. Hides of synthetic buffalo.
25Syntax Dr Alok K Das
Ambiguities often lead to humorous resultsAmbiguities 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?
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Structural Ambiguity
The boy saw the man with the telescope
V PP
with
NPP
the
Det N
telescopeThe
N
saw
S
NP VP
Det
boy
NP
the
Det N
man
Aux
past
27Syntax Dr Alok K Das
Structural Ambiguity
The boy saw the man with the telescope
V
PP
with
NPP
the
Det N
telescopeThe
N
saw
S
NP VP
Det
boy
NP
the
Det N
man
Aux
past28Syntax
Dr Alok K Das
Draw two phrase structure trees representing the two meanings of the sentence:
The magician touched the child with the wand.
Be sure you indicate which meaning goes with which tree.
29Syntax Dr Alok K Das
Declarative – Interrogative Move the auxiliary to the left of the subject.
The boy will leave.
S
VPNP
Det
Aux
N
The boy will leave
Will the boy leave?
S
VPNP
Det
Aux
N
the boyWill leave
The deep structure The surface structure
V V
30Syntax Dr Alok K Das
The Wh Movement Surface structure: Which car should the man repair? Deep structure:
V
N
carThe
N
repair
S
NP VP
Det
man
NP
which
Det
Aux
should31Syntax
Dr Alok K Das
Draw the deep structure of the following sentences
1. Will the boss hire Hillary?2. Is that player leaving the team?3. Who should the director call?4. What is Joanne eating?
32Syntax Dr Alok K Das