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X Bar Theory

The document discusses the key concepts of X-Bar Theory including that phrase heads are always on the right, complement and argument structures, and the six conditions of X-Bar Theory. It also explains that X-Bar shows levels of constituency, each phrase must have three levels, and modifiers are optional but complements are necessary for the head.

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Charles Adrian
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44 views1 page

X Bar Theory

The document discusses the key concepts of X-Bar Theory including that phrase heads are always on the right, complement and argument structures, and the six conditions of X-Bar Theory. It also explains that X-Bar shows levels of constituency, each phrase must have three levels, and modifiers are optional but complements are necessary for the head.

Uploaded by

Charles Adrian
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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- The heads of the phrases are always on the right (Constituents)

- Complements occur with head phrases


- Transitive requires object, intransitive doesn't require object, ditransitive can
be both intransitive or transitive

- Six conditions that encapsulates the claims of X-Bar Theory: Lexicality (each
nonterminal is a projection of a terminal), Succession (each NP+1 dominates an N
for all N>0), Uniformity (all maximal proj have the same bar level), Maximality
(all non-heads are max proj), Centrality (start symbol is a max proj), Optionality
(all and only non-heads are optional)
-The use of x-bar in syntax is to help show differing levels of constituency (IM)
- In x-bar, the "x" stands for a variable that depends on what head does the phrase
have
- Each phrase must have three levels that represents it
- These levels are Phrase level (XP), Bar level (X'), and Head level (X)
- Should never have three things branching off of two nodes unless of having
certain circumstances (i.e. things like conjunctions)
- Modifers shows optional information but complements are necessary for the head of
the XP (i.e. transitive verbs require object)

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