1、Chapter 4 Revision Exercises1. What is syntax?Syntax is a branch of linguistics that studies how words are combined to form sentences and the rules that govern the formation of sentences.2. What is phrase structure rule?The grammatical mechanism that regulates the arrangement of elements (i.e. speci
2、fiers, heads, and complements) that make up a phrase is called a phrase structure rule. The phrase structural rule for NP, VP, AP, and PP can be written as follows:NP(Det) N (PP) . VP(Qual) V (NP) . AP(Deg) A (PP) . PP(Deg) P (NP) . We can formulate a single general phrasal structural rule in which
3、X stands for the head N, V, A or P. The XP rule: XP(specifier) X (complement) 3. What is category? How to determine a words category?Category refers to a group of linguistic items which fulfill the same or similar functions in a particular language such as a sentence, a noun phrase or a verb. To det
4、ermine a words category, three criteria are usually employed, namely meaning, inflection and distribution. The most reliable of determining a words category is its distribution.4. What is coordinate structure and what properties does it have?The structure formed by joining two or more elements of th
5、e same type with the help of a conjunction is called coordinate structure.It has four important properties:1) there is no limit on the number of coordinated categories that can appear prior to the conjunction.2) a category at any level a head or an entire XP can be coordinated.3) coordinated categor
6、ies must be of the same type.4) the category type of the coordinate phrase is identical to the category type of the elements being conjoined.5. What elements does a phrase contain and what role does each element play?A phrase usually contains the following elements: head, specifier and complement. S
7、ometimes it also contains another kind of element termed modifier. The role each element can play:Head:Head is the word around which a phrase is formed. Specifier:Specifier has both special semantic and syntactic roles. Semantically, it helps to make more precise the meaning of the head. Syntactical
8、ly, it typically marks a phrase boundary. Complement: Complements are themselves phrases and provide information about entities and locations whose existence is implied by the meaning of the head. Modifier: Modifiers specify optionally expressible properties of the heads. 6. What is deep structure a
9、nd what is surface structure? There are two levels of syntactic structure. The first, formed by the XP rule in accordance with the heads subcategorization properties, is called deep structure (or D-structure). The second, corresponding to the final syntactic form of the sentence which results from a
10、ppropriate transformations, is called surface structure (or S-structure). 7. Indicate the category of each word in the following sentences.a) The old lady got off the bus carefully. Det A N V P Det N Adv b) The car suddenly crashed onto the river bank.Det N Adv V P Det N c) The blinding snowstorm mi
11、ght delay the opening of the schools. Det A N Aux V Det N P Det N d) This cloth feels quite soft. Det N V Deg A 8. The following phrases include a head, a complement, and a specifier. Draw the appropriate tree structure for each phrase.a) rich in mineralsAPA PPrich in mineralsb) often read detective
12、 storiesVPQual V NPoften read detective storiesc) the argument against the proposalsNPDet N PPthe argument against the proposalsd) already above the windowPPDeg P NPalready above the window9. The following sentences contain modifiers of various types. For each sentences, first identify the modifier(
13、s), then draw the tree sentences.a) A crippled passenger landed the airplane with extreme caution.Modifiers: crippled(AdjP), with extreme caution(PP)SNP Infl VPAPDet A N Pst V NP Det N PPP NP AP NAA crippled passenger landed the airplane with extreme cautionb) A huge moon hung in the black sky.Modif
14、iers: huge(AdjP), in the black sky(PP)SNP Infl VPDet AP N Pst V PPA P NPDet AP NA huge moon hung in the black skyc) The man examined his car carefully yesterday.Modifiers: carefully(AdvP), yesterday(AdvP)SNP Infl VPDet N Pst V NP AdvPDet N AdvP AdvAdvThe man examined his car carefully yesterdayd) A
15、wooden hut near the lake collapsed in the storm.Modifiers: wooden(AdjP), in the storm(PP)SNP Infl VPDet AP N PP Pst V PPA P NP P NPDet N Det NA wooden hut near the lake collapsed in the storm10. The following sentences all contain conjoined categories. Draw a tree structure for each of the sentences
16、.a) Jim has washed the dirty shirts and pants.SNP Infl VPN V NPDet AP N Con NA Jim has washed the dirty shirts and pantsb) Helen put on her clothes and went out.SNP Infl VPN Pst V PP Con V PPP NP PDet NHelen put on her clothes and went outc) Mary is fond of literature but tired of statistics.SNP Inf
17、l VPN Pre V AP Con APA PP A PPP NP P NPN NMary is fond of literature but tired of statistics11. The following sentences all contain embedded clauses that function as complements of a verb, an adjective, a preposition or a noun. Draw a tree structure for each sentence.a) You know that I hate war.SNP
18、Infl VPN Pre V NPCPC SNP Infl VPNP N Pre V NPNYou know that I hate warb) Gerry believes the fact that Anna flunked the English exam.SNP Infl VPN Pre V NPDet N CP-C SNP Infl VPNP N Pst V NPDet AP NAGerry believes the fact that Anna flunked the English examc) Chris was happy that his father bought him
19、 a Rolls-Royce.SNP Infl VP N Pst V APA CPC SNP NP Infl VPDet N Pst V NPN Det NChris was happy that his father bought him a Roll-Royced) The children argued over whether bats had wings.SNP Infl VPDet N Pst V PPP CP C SNP Infl VPN Plu V NPNThe children argued over whether bats had wings12. Each of the
20、 following sentences contains a relative clause. Draw the deep structure and the surface structure for each of these sentences.a) The essay that he wrote was excellent.Deep Structure: CPC SNP Infl VPDet N CP Pst V APC S Aux ANP Infl VPN Pst V NPNThe essay he wrote that was excellentSurface Structure
21、: CPC SNP Infl VPDet N CP Pst V APC S Aux ANP NP Infl VPN N Pst V NPNThe essay that he wrote e was excellentb) Herbert bought a house that she loved.Deep Structure: CPC SNP Infl VPN Pst V NPDet N CPC SNP Infl VPN Pst V NPNHerbert bought a house she loved thatSurface Structure: CPC SNP Infl VPN Pst V
22、 NPDet N CPC SNP NP Infl VPN N Pst V NPNHerbert bought a house that she loved ec) The girl whom he adores majors in linguistics.Deep Structure: CPC S NP Infl VPDet N CP Pre V PPC S P NPNP Infl VP NN Pre V NPNThe girl he adores whom majors in linguisticsSurface Structure: CPC S NP Infl VPDet N CP Pre
23、 V PPNP C S P NPNP Infl VP NN N Pre V NPNThe girl whom he adores e majors in linguistics13. The derivations of the following sentences involve the inversion transformation. Give the deep structure and the surface structure of each sentence.a) Would you come tomorrow?Deep Structure: CPC SNP Infl VPN
24、Aux V AdvPAdvYou would come tomorrowSurface Structure: CPC SInfl NP Infl VPAux N Aux V AdvPAdvWould You e come tomorrowb) What did Helen bring to the party?Deep Structure: CPC SNP Infl VPN Pst V NPN PPP Det NPNHelen did bring what to the partySurface Structure: CPC SNP Infl NP Infl VPN Pst N Pst V NPN PPP Det NPNWhat did Helen e bring e to the partyc) Who broke the window?Deep Structure: CPC SNP Infl VPN Pst V NPDet NWho broke the windowSurface Structure: CPC SNP NP Infl VPN N Pst V NPDet NWho e broke the window
