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Syntax

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7 views

Syntax

Uploaded by

eman.al.rijjal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Syntax

Syntactic rules
• ‘syntax’: Greek & literally means
‘putting together’ or ‘arrangement’
• syntax = the study of the structure
of phrases and sentences
• focus  underlying (abstract) RULE
system we use to generate
sentences
• apple Noor ate the  sentence? NO
• apple ate Noor the  sentence  NO
• ate Noor the apple  sentence  NO (English)
& YES (Arabic)
• Noor ate the apple  YES
• words must be put together in a certain
arrangement (structure)  sentences
words

system of rules
(abstract)

sentences
Generative Grammar

• generative grammar = theory


of the grammar of human
language
• in our brain  set (group) of
rules  finite (limited in
number)
• founder of generative grammar 
Avram Noam Chomsky (father of
modern linguistics)  linguist
(syntax), politician, philosopher
• these finite (limited) rules
(1) generate an infinite (unlimited) of
structures
(2) how different phrases/ sentences
might be related
(3) how similar phrases/ sentences
might be different
generating an infinite (unlimited) of
structures
• RULE: NP  (Art) (Adj) N (PP) = a noun phrase
consists of a noun (obligatory) + other
elements (optional) before and after it
• Jack = NP  N
• the student = NP  D N
• the smart student = NP  D Adj N
• the smart Jordanian/Kuwaiti student =
NP  D Adj Adj N
• the smart Jordanian student from JUST =
NP  D Adj Adj N PP
how different phrases/ sentences might be
related
(1a) Jack broke the window.  active
(1b) The window was broken by Jack.  passive

• active & passive sentences  similar (same


meaning)
how similar phrases/ sentences might be
different
(1a) Rama saw [the man with the telescope]. =
she saw the man who has a telescope.
(1b) Rama saw [the man] [with the telescope] =
She used the telescope to see the man.

• They are different  different meanings


Deep and surface structure
(1a) Charlie broke the window.
(1b) The window was broken by Charlie.
• Deep structure  the underlying structure of
sentences
• Surface structure  the structure of individual
sentences (visible)
• Sentences (1a) & (1b)  have different surface
structures, but their deep structure (meaning) 
similar
Structural ambiguity
• Annie bumped into a man [with an umbrella].
• sometimes  the surface structure is the
same; different deep structures; it has two
meanings  structural ambiguity
(1) Annie bumped into a man who was holding
an umbrella.
(2) Annie had an umbrella when she bumped
into the man.
• ambiguity  having MORE than one
interpretation or meaning
• ambiguous sentence  a sentence that has
MORE than one interpretation or meaning
The chicken is ready to eat.
All the arrows did not hit the target.
Structural analysis
• use of abbreviations for parts of
speech (word classes or
grammatical categories)  N, V,
Adj
• constituents = larger units
• what each constituent consists of
• The boy read the book.
Art N V Art N
[Art N] = the + boy [Art N] = the + book
[V [Art N]] = read + the book
[Art N] [V [Art N]] =
the boy + read the book = sentence
Phrase Structure Rules
• set (group) of syntactic rules = Phrase
Structure Rules  generate structures
• S  NP VP
• NP  Art Adj Adj N PP
• VP  V NP PP
• AdjP  AdvP Adj
• book big  English  big book; Arabic 
book big
Lexical Rules
• Specify which words can be used
• Art  {a, an, the}
• N  {driver, book}
• Adj  {big, smart}
• Adv  {quickly, very}
Tree diagrams
• Used to create a visual representation of
structure
S

NP VP

Art N V
the woman arrived

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