Bài So N - Syntax Lesson 5

non-branching: pronoun, name, C-that
V. Sentences within sentences

M5-1:
Contents:
- Complementisers: that and whether
- The functions of that- and whether- clauses
- Adverbial clauses
- Recursion -> a constituent can contain constituents of the same category as itself.
- Sentences that contain sentences as contituents => sentential recursion
- Đệ quy -> một cấu tử có thể chứa các cấu tử cùng loại với chính nó.
- Câu có chứa câu là nội dung => đệ quy tuần hoàn
- COMPLEX sentence: it contains a sentential structure as a constituent.

+ S2 is SUBORDINATE to S1
+ S1 is SUPERORDINATE to S2
+ Subordianate sentential structures are traditionally called SUBORDINATE clauses (les
traditionally, ‘embedded sentences’)
+ Cấu trúc ủy nhiệm cấp dưới theo truyền thống được gọi là mệnh đề SUBORDINATE (ít truyền
thống hơn là 'câu nhúng')
- Note:
+ Every clause has a lexical verb. So we can identify clauses in terms of their lexical verbs.
+ The clause that is not subordinate to any other clause is the main clause.
+ The lexical verb of the main clause is the main verb.
- Abbreviated Clausal Analysis (ACA)
I thought Georgette said she burned tthe fritters.
S1[ I thought S2[ Georgette said S3[ she burned the fritters]]]
Trong bài thi cuối kì sẽ được yêu cầu vẽ ACA như trên.
He reminded the men that he was in command at every opportunity.
S1[ He reminded the men that S2[ he was in command] at every opportunity].
=> phân tích mqh giữa các clauses với nhau.
The fact that you received no greeting from Mars doesn’t mean that it is uninhabited.
S1[ The fact that S2[ you received no greeting from Mars] doesn’t mean that S3[ it is uninhabited]].
1. Complementisers: that and whether
- THAT is a marker of clausal subordination. It serves to introduce subordinate clauses.
=> COMPLEMENTISER
=> that-clause
- The complementiser position - ‘C’ - is defined as: daughter of S-bar (S’) and sister of a following
S.
Có that trong câu thì S’, không có that thì là S
- When the complementiser is absent, think of it as + having been ellipted.

Không có that thì vẫn để nguyên C
The fact that you received no greeting from Mars doesn’t mean ___ it is uninhabited.
- Auxiliary-fronting is possible only in main clauses, never in subordiante clauses because

complementiser that and fronted auxiliaries occupy the same position and auxiliaries can’t be
fronted to a position already occupied by a complementiser.
Tại sao trong mệnh đề phụ kbh chuyển đảo ngữ. Đảo ngữ chỉ diễn ra ở mệnh đề chính. That đã
chiếm chỗ của auxiliary fronting nên trong câu phụ kh đưa trợ động từ lên đầu vì đã bị that chiếm
chỗ.
2. The function of that- and whether- clauses
2.1. Subject - and extraposed subject:
Khi có 1 cái that - C hoặc whether-C ở đầu thì ta sẽ treat nó như 1 NP và chúng ta để đầu, NP sẽ
được đi xuống thành S’ và S’ sẽ được chia ra làm 2 phần là C và S.
- A characteristic of CLAUSAL SUBJECTS is that they can be EXTRAPOSED from under the
subject NP node to the end of the sentence.
- It disconcerted her [that the king was in his counting house].
- It was noticed by the critics [that the book had a missing chapter].
- It is undeniable [that Rachid’s disguise was a success].
- It is empty of meaning => ‘dummy’ subject (chủ ngữ giả: không có ý nghĩa nhưng đóng 1 vai trò
quan trọng trong cú pháp của câu)
=> EXPLETIVE IT
- When the verb is TRANSITIVE or INTENSIVE, extraposition of the clause subject was
OPTIONAL.
TRANS hoặc INTENSIVE có thể đổi that lên làm mệnh đề chủ ngữ.
+ It disconcerted her that the king was in his counting house. (trans)
=> That the king was in his counting house disconcerted her.
+ It was worrying them whether Rory should be fired. (intens)
=> Whether Rory should be fired was worrying.
It disconcerted her that the king was in his counting house. => That the king was in his counting
house disconcerted her.
That the squid sauce was a mistake soon became clear.
It isn’t my fault Max crushed your monocle. => That Max crushed your monocle isn’t my fault.
It was noticed by the critics that the book had a missing chapter.
- When the verb is INTRANSITIVE, extraposition is OBLIGATORY.
INTRANS thường không thể đổi that lên làm mệnh đề chủ ngữ.
+ It seems [that the recipe involves some dubious ingredients] (intrans)
*Complement of V within VP:
I thought S2[ Georgette said S3[ she burned the fritters]]
Anna told him (that) his shirt was hanging out.
Liên quan tới cấu trúc của các động từ đi kèm

*Complement of A within AP:
She made him aware that he had overstepped the mark.
Drivers anxious that they had made mistakes complained.

(1) dummy S
(2) William is a real subject
It is certain that her hair is dyed.
William is certain that her hair is dyed.
xem xét cụm “that her hair is dyed” đem ra làm CN được không? => xét AP
*Complement of N within NP:
Noun complement clauses can only complement ABSTRACT nouns like fact, rumour, idea, news,
claim, suggestion, message, indication, etc.
The clause is said to ‘complement the noun’ because it’s in the same relation to the N within NP as
clauses that complement the V in VP.
the fact that you received no greetings from Mars.

The following sentences include a that-clause following a noun, but only in two of them does that-
clause function as noun-complement clause within an NP. Identify them.
*Complement of P within PP:
=> An interrogative (whether-) clause can function as the complement of a preposition within PP
=> That-clause cannot function as complement to a P within PP.
The question of whether they should revamp the website was raised.
after, until, before, since are prepositions that can take either a clause (S) or an NP as complement.
II. Adverbial clauses:

- Abverbial clauses are introduced by SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS.
- Subordinating conjuctions: although, unless, if, because, once, as, now, so, while, since.
- These are subordinating conjunctions – rather than prepositions – because they can only introduce
clauses (not NPs).
- Subordinating conjunctions occupy the complementiser position, C. They carry extra meaning that
allows the clause they introduce to function as an adverbial.
- Đây là những liên từ phụ - chứ không phải là giới từ - vì chúng chỉ có thể giới thiệu mệnh đề
(không phải NP).
- Các liên từ phụ chiếm vị trí bổ nghĩa, C. Chúng mang nghĩa phụ cho phép mệnh đề mà chúng giới
thiệu có chức năng như một trạng ngữ.
Things will be rather dull if Hieronimo leaves
Taxes are rising because the bankers need huge bonuses
- IF makes the subordinate clause function as a CONDITIONAL adverbial clause (same with
UNLESS)
- BECAUSE => adverbial clause of REASON/RESULT
- SO => adverbial clause of PURPOSE
- Adverbials can’t modify N or NOM
- Now that, so that, except that, as if, in case, in order that, as soon as => Complementiser (use
triangle to represent them in phrase markers)
M5-2:
Contents:
– Wh-questions
– Subordinate wh-clauses
+ Subordinate wh-interrogative clauses
+ Relative clauses
• Omission of the wh-phrase
• That again
• Restrictive vs non-restrictive
– Clauses that include a wh-word are called WH-CLAUSES

– Wh-words can appear in main or subordinate clauses
– Wh-word in a MAIN clause => QUESTION => WH-QUESTION
• Yes/No question asks whether something is the case or not.
• A Wh-question questions some constituents (the subject, direct object, etc.)
=> constituent questions.
I. Wh-questions (MAIN Wh-clauses):
Vince is taking what to Athens?
=> Unfronted Question => Echo-question: they are used to echo – and ask about – something said
earlier.
What is Vince taking to Athens?
=> Wh-question
Vince is taking what to Athens?
What is Vince taking to Athens?
– The formation of Wh-questions include:
• The fronting of the wh-phrase
• The fronting of the tensed auxiliary
• Wh-phrase moves above-and-beyond the C position of tensed auxiliary => a second higher C
position => introduce S” (S-double-bar).
– C1 (lower): Daughter of S-bar (S′) and sister of S

• Filled, in subordinate clauses, by that, whether, and subordinating conjunctions.
• Filled, in main clauses, by fronted tensed auxiliaries.
• Điền, trong mệnh đề phụ, bởi that, whether và các liên từ phụ.
• Trong các mệnh đề chính, được lấp đầy bởi các fronted tensed auxiliaries.
– C2 (higher): Daughter of S-double-bar (S″) and sister of S-bar (S′)
• Filled, in both main and subordinate clauses, by fronted wh-expressions
– THAT/WHETHER: simply complimentisers
– WH-expressions in C2 are always fronted from within the clauses
 => have functions within the clauses (indicated by the gap)
 => belong to categories of NP, AP, PP, AdvP
Which books are you giving • to Bill? (• = NP)
Who will Julia give the pen to • ? (• = NP)

To whom will Julia give the pen • ? (• = PP)
How quickly did he drink that beer • ? (• = AdvP)

How tall is Max • ? (• = AP)
– Consider this case: Who is taking Violetta’s icon to Athens?

– Should a Wh-SUBJECT be represented as actually being in the subject position or represented as
fronted to the C2 position?
• C2 position
– Should there be auxiliary-fronting in this case?
• YES
Who is taking Violetta’s icon to Athens?
– For where, when, how, and why, decide on the most likely category of the gap it has left behind:
• AdvP
• PP
• AP
How are you? => (Possible answer: well/good.)

Where did Lisa put it? => (Possible answer: under the bed.)
Whose poem did Stevens suggest would be ideal for the lecture?
Who did Leopold think Haydn admired?
2. SUBORDINATE Wh-clauses
– Subordinate wh-interrogative clauses
Marcel wasn’t certain who he sent the flowers to.
Martha enquired why he wore it on his foot.

It is my affair what I wear at night.
– Relative clauses
• Non-interrogative wh-clauses
• Function as MODIFIERS
• The NOUN-COMPLEMENT CLAUSES in [a] give us central information about the head noun
(the ACTUAL CONTENT)
• The RELATIVE CLAUSES tell something else about the head noun (PERIPHERAL CONTENT)
- Omission of the wh-phrase:

The trampolines they bought yesterday were dangerous.
- That again:
a proposal that we should support
a proposal that we should support the strike

- Restrictive vs. non-restrictive:
+ RESTRICTIVE relative clauses specify more exactly which of the things picked out by the head
noun are being mentioned.
+ NON-RESTRICTIVE relative clauses serve to add extra – parenthetical – information, without
restricting the set of things (triangles, dogs, books, etc.) being mentioned.
As the modifier of a complete NP, the non-restrictive relative clause must be represented as the
sister of that NP within a higher NP.
Note: the wh-phrase/word in non-restrictives can’t be ellipted and it can’t be replaced by that.
Summary:
3 kinds of clauses that can appear within NP:
– Noun-complement clause: sister of N (within NOM).
– Restrictive relative clause: sister of NOM (within NOM).
– Non-restrictive relative clause: sister of NP (within NP).

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non-branching: pronoun, name, C-that

V. Sentences within sentences

- COMPLEX sentence: it contains a sentential structure as a constituent.

- When the complementiser is absent, think of it as + having been ellipted.

- Auxiliary-fronting is possible only in main clauses, never in subordiante clauses because

Anna told him (that) his shirt was hanging out.

Liên quan tới cấu trúc của các động từ đi kèm

Drivers anxious that they had made mistakes complained.

William is certain that her hair is dyed.

the fact that you received no greetings from Mars.

*Complement of P within PP:

II. Adverbial clauses:

Taxes are rising because the bankers need huge bonuses

– Clauses that include a wh-word are called WH-CLAUSES

– C1 (lower): Daughter of S-bar (S′) and sister of S

Which books are you giving • to Bill? (• = NP)

Who will Julia give the pen to • ? (• = NP)

To whom will Julia give the pen • ? (• = PP)

How quickly did he drink that beer • ? (• = AdvP)

– Consider this case: Who is taking Violetta’s icon to Athens?

How are you? => (Possible answer: well/good.)

Who did Leopold think Haydn admired?

Marcel wasn’t certain who he sent the flowers to.

Martha enquired why he wore it on his foot.

It is my affair what I wear at night.

- Omission of the wh-phrase:

The trampolines they bought yesterday were dangerous.

a proposal that we should support

a proposal that we should support the strike

- Restrictive vs. non-restrictive:

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