Ch.

5 (1)
Structures of
words & phrases
Introduction to Linguistics

1
Word order and hierarchical
structure.
2
 The component of grammar
 NOT MUCH can be saidconcerned
with a single
withword.
the form of
grammatical Ss
Formal Syntax?
 ________
- the form and order of words
- the way in which they are organized into larger
hierarchically arranged units.
Syntax - To create a system of rules and operations
- “It’s the right answer.”
Generative grammar
- “I think it’s the right answer.
- “………………………………………………………”
Do these operations have limit?

3
 Lexical categories significant in S
 Syntactic categories formation
 4 major categories
- N, V, A, and _________
P
 Non-lexical (functional) categories
- Lack of meaning
Syntax - Det, Auxiliary V, conjunction, and Deg

-Categories - (p. 141)

- Q: How can we determine a word’s category?
and
Structures Meaning

Inflection

Distribution

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 Inflection

• N: plural –s, possessive –’s,

• V: past tense –ed, progressive –ing, 3rd per sing –s
• A: comparative –er, superlative -est
Syntax
-Categories Distribution

and • N: with a det (a car, )

Structures • V: with an aux (will try, have finished, )
• A: with a degree word (very young, too tall, )
“The frumious Bandersnatch!”
• EX. 2 (p. 179)

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 • Hierarchical Structure of
[The girl] [likes [the boy]]
VP
Grammatic
al V
likes
NP
Relation/Fu
nction D the

N boy

NP, VP, AP: constituents of a S

6
  Head initial position vs head final position

 AP
A …
NP, VP,
 Tree diagram for “very aware of the problem”
and PP
AP

__
___ A ___

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  Structural units in which words are grouped together
• NP, VP, AP, PP
• Heads (N, V, A, P), specifiers (det, adv, deg),

complements

Syntax
-Phrase
Structures

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  [a view of Grand Canyon]
 [[a] [view of Grand Canyon]]
 [[a] [view [of Grand Canyon]]]
 [NP[det a] [N’ [N view] [PP of Grand Canyon]]]

Syntax
-Phrase
Structures

view Grand Canyon

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  [VP [Adv clearly] [V’ [V state] [NP the topic]]]
 very fond of cheese (AP), almost at the end (PP)
 Tree diagrams (NP, VP, AP, PP)

Syntax 
-Phrase
Structures

• HO p. 2, 2)

10
 • [Minnie] likes [Mickey]

Syntax
• [Minnie] likes [Mickey]
-Phrase
Structures
Substitution tests (do so; is so; there/then)

• Minnie [likes Mickey]. So does Olive.

(Olive likes him too.)

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 • Syntax Tree Generator (mshang.ca)
• http://mshang.ca/syntree/

• I like a view of Grand Canyon

Syntax
• [S [NP I] [VP [V like] [NP [NP [D a] [N view]] [PP [P
-Phrase of] [N Grand Canyon]]]]]
Structures

* Exercises: 3, 6,

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