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Phrase Structure - Lexical Nonlexical Categories

The document discusses English morphology and syntax, focusing on phrase structure and the classification of words into lexical and non-lexical categories. It explains how syntactic categories are determined by meaning, inflection, and distribution, highlighting that some words can belong to multiple categories. Additionally, it notes that the relationship between a word's category and its meaning is not always straightforward.

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3 views8 pages

Phrase Structure - Lexical Nonlexical Categories

The document discusses English morphology and syntax, focusing on phrase structure and the classification of words into lexical and non-lexical categories. It explains how syntactic categories are determined by meaning, inflection, and distribution, highlighting that some words can belong to multiple categories. Additionally, it notes that the relationship between a word's category and its meaning is not always straightforward.

Uploaded by

karlazarate26.9
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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English Morphology & Syntax

Phrase Structure: Lexical & Non-lexical Categories.


Phrase Structure.
Words can be grouped
together into small classes
called syntactic categories.

Syntactic categories reflect


a variety of factors:
1. The type of meaning
words express;
2. The type of affixes they
take;
3. The type of structures in
which they occur.
Categories of Words.
Lexical categories play an How can we determine a
important role in sentence word’s category?
formation.
1. Meaning.
a. Nouns name entities
Non-lexical or functional
categories are elements whose
- Individuals (Harry, Sue)
meanings are harder to define/ - Objects (Book, Desk).
paraphrase.

b. Verbs designate:
Note:
- Actions (Run, Jump)
Some items belong to more than
one category: - Sensations (Feel, Hurt)
Comb - States (Be, Remain)
N (The woman found a comb)
V (The boy should comb his
hair)
Categories of Words.
c. Adjectives designate Facts:
properties or attributes 1. A word’s category does not
denoted by nouns. always have a straightforward
Tall Building relationship to its meaning:

d. Adverbs denote properties Nouns: Difficulty, Truth,


or attributes of the actions, Likelihood (Not entities)
sensations or states
designated by verbs.
2. Not only verbs but also
Janet left quickly/ early nouns may name actions:
Give someone a push
Categories of Words.
3. Words with similar
meanings may belong to
different categories:

Like: Mike likes cheese (V)


Fond: Mike is fond of cheese
(Adj)
Categories of Words.
2. Inflection: - Not all adjectives can take
a. It is very useful for comparative/superlative
distinguishing among form affixes (*intelligenter,
different categories of *beautifulest)
words; - Some nouns cannot be
b. It does not always provide pluralized
the information needed to (*moistures, *braveries)
determine a word’s
category.
Categories of Words.
3. Distribution: The type of * The destroy (Det + V)
elements with which a word * Very arrive (Deg + V)
can occur.
* Will destruction (Aux + N)

N can appear with a


determiner
V can appear with an Aux
verb
Adj can appear with a Deg
word

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