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Introduction To Grammar and Syntax

This document provides an overview of key concepts in syntax and grammar. It defines syntax as the study of how words are arranged to form phrases and sentences based on grammatical rules. Key concepts discussed include deep structure vs surface structure, transformational grammar, and tree diagrams. Generative grammar views grammar as a cognitive faculty that allows infinite expressions to be generated from a finite set of rules.

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Toni Palacio
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220 views

Introduction To Grammar and Syntax

This document provides an overview of key concepts in syntax and grammar. It defines syntax as the study of how words are arranged to form phrases and sentences based on grammatical rules. Key concepts discussed include deep structure vs surface structure, transformational grammar, and tree diagrams. Generative grammar views grammar as a cognitive faculty that allows infinite expressions to be generated from a finite set of rules.

Uploaded by

Toni Palacio
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Palacio, May Antonette

Overview of Symbols and


Abbreviations
NP = Art N
NP = Pro
NP = PN
NP = { Art (Adj) N, Pro, PN}
VP = V NP (PP) (Adv)
PP = Prep NP
CP =CS
What comes to mind?
A night to remember

To remember a night

*night a remember to
*a to remember night

(We use asterisk to indicate that a form is unacceptable or


ungrammatical)
How do we come by this knowledge?

We are all born with a language faculty that when


stimulated by appropriate and continuing experience
creates a grammar that creates sentences with formal and
semantic properties

Chomsky (1975), p. 36 as quoted in Gelderen, (2010)


What is Grammar?

derived from the Greek term grammatike tekhne, defined


as the art of words or letters

The process of describing the structure of phrases and


sentences (Yule, 2010).
Traditional Grammar
Used to label grammatical categories of words

A. Parts of Speech
B. Agreement
A. Parts of Speech
Nouns
are words use to refer to people, objects, creatures, places, qualities, d
and abstract ideas

Articles/Determiners
are words (a, an, the) used with nouns to form noun phrases classifying
those things

Adjectives
are words used, typically with nouns, to provide more information
about the things referred to
Verbs
are words used to refer to various kinds of actions (go, talk) and states (be, have)

Adverbs
are words used to provide more information about actions, states and events.

Prepositions
are words used with nouns in phrases providing information about time,and
other connections involving actions and things

Pronouns
are words used in place of noun phrases, typically referring to people and things
already known.
Conjunctions
are words (and, but, because, when) used to make connections and
indicate relationships between events

Interjections
Words that show excitement or emotions
Problems:
The definition and its function
Meaning-based

Example: a brick (noun)


a brick house (adjective?)
B. Agreement

Number
Person
Tense
Voice
Gender
Notions About Grammar

1. Prescriptive Approach
2. Descriptive Approach
Prescriptive Approach

System of rule

A catalog of dos and donts

Linguistic etiquette

Also called normative grammar or school of grammar


Sample Rules:
Do not end a sentence with a preposition.

Who did you go with? With whom did you go?

Use shall with first person; use will with second and third.

a. I shall leave early.


b. You will leave early
Do not use double negatives.
a. He does not want any more cake.
b.*He does not want no more cake.

Do not split an infinitive.


To boldly go To go boldly

Yet, we say to solemnly swear, Cheers to never ever say


goodbye
Descriptive Approach

Also called structural grammar

Views grammar in terms of what is appropriate or not


appropriate in a given context, [not a matter of absolute
right or wrong] (Riley and Parker, 1998).
A. Structural Analysis
Investigates the distribution of forms in a language
Uses test frames
For example:
____________ makes a lot of noise.
PN

NP } can be used
Pro
B. Constituent Analysis
designed to show how small constituents (or components) in
sentences go together to form larger constituents.

how words go together to form phrases


The mysterious lady kept a
wooden rosary with her.
Ability to stand in phrases
The mysterious lady kept a rosary with her

Question test (who, what, where?)

Replacement Test
C. Labeled and Bracketed
Sentences
Put brackets round each constituents, then more
brackets round each combination of constituents.
It reveals the hierarchy of organization of the constituents
S = NP + VP
VP > NP

Also applicable in analyzing other languages


Lets work on it:

1. Can you give other prescriptive rules in English that you


know?
2. Identify all the parts of speech used in this sentence:
The old woman kept a large snake, but it escaped
recently.
3. Create a labeled and bracketed analysis of this sentence:
She wrote a story about her goldfish.
Chapter 8:

TAX
SY N
Definition:

derived from the Greek word `syntaxis, meaning putting


together in an arranged order

all and only criterion

Determine the grammatical relations in a sentence

Mary hired Bill. Vs. Bill hired Mary


Generative Grammar
Small and finite set of rules
Rules are finite but the structures they generate are infinite
(Riley and Parker, 1998, p170).
Generative Grammar Theory- A theory of linguistics in which
grammar is viewed as a cognitive faculty.
Reveals two phenomena in English language:
(1)How some superficially different sentences are closely related
(2)How some superficially similar sentences are in fact, different
Deep Structure vs. Surface
Structure
Examples:
a. You close the door.
b. The door is closed by you.
c. Close the door!
d. Will you close the door?

(the same underlying DP = NP + VP)

. (We cannot apply transformation rules if we dont have deep structure)


Structural Ambiguity
Same surface structures will represent different deep
structures
For example:
Small boys and girls

Small boys and (small?) girls


NP + conj. + (adj.) NP
Small boys and (all?) girls
NP + quantifier + N
Mike talked about the trip with
Trisha.
Tree Diagram
Somehow same with labeled and bracketed
format (Chapter7)

It grows down rather than up


Example:
The old tree swayed in the
wind S

NP VP

Art Adj N V PP

P NP

Art N

The old tree swayed in the wind

33
Why Tree Diagram in
Syntactic Analysis?
1. Phrase structure rules
Dynamic format
Gives idea how to construct grammatically correct sentences
2. Lexical Rules
Specifies which words can be used under one constituent
Distinguishes the grammatical from the ungrammatical ones
Ex:
Suzzane helped Cynthia. You saw it.
*Suzzane Cynthia helped *You it saw
3. Movement Rules
Enables us to see the movement of one part of the structure to a
different position
Ex:
The boys will watch the movie.
Will the boys watch the movie?
4. Recursion
Generates a structure over and over again
Enables to put sentences inside other sentences
Ex:
Suzzane interrogated Cynthia.
Chloe heard that Suzzane interrogated Cynthia.
Jennifer said that Chloe heard that Suzzane interrogated
Cynthia.
Exercises:
1. What could be the two (2) different meanings of the
sentence The boy saw the man with a telescope?
Represent your answer through a tree diagram.
2. Analyze the following sentences using a tree
diagram.
a. The ice melted.
b. You know that I hate war.
c. Immediately, he visited the place near the river.
d. Can you pass the salt?
References:
Gelderen, E. V. (2010). An introduction to the grammar
of English. Amsterdam: John Benjamin Publishing

Riley, K. & Parker, F. (1998). English grammar:


Prescriptive, descriptive, generative, performance.
Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon

Yule, G. (2010). The Study of Language (4 th Edition).


Cambridge University Press.

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