King Abdulaziz University
Department of European Languages & Literature
Welcome to
Syntax (LANE-334)
I am Dr. Abdulrahman Alqurashi
2014
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
1
Course website
http://aaalqurashi.kau.edu.sa/Pages-LANE-334.aspx
The course website contains the following
materials for you to download
• course description
• lecture materials (i.e. I will put copies of
my Powerpoint slides on the website after
I finish my lectures every week)
Coursebook
• Wekker, H., & Haegeman, L. M. (1985). A modern
course in English syntax. Croom Helm.
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What you should do every week
• Read the text of the appropriate chapter of
your coursebook in advance of the lecture
(look at the course time plan in the course
description )
• Write down your questions and bring them to
the lecture, so we can discuss them together.
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What I will do in the lecture
•
Summarize keys points of the
appropriate chapter of the coursebook
according to the course time plan.
• Analyse some of the exercise material in
each chapter
• Answer your questions
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Syntax (LANE-334)
Chapter 1
Aims and Methods
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What is Syntax?
• Syntax is the study of how sentences are
formed.
• In other words, Syntax or Syntactic
Analysis is the study of how a specific
language combines words to form
sentences.
Morphology is the study of how words are
formed.
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The tasks of syntax
• The study of Syntax involves two related
tasks:
(a) breaking down the sentence into its
components parts (i.e. constituents).
(b) assigning some grammatical label to
each constituent.
• Each constituent (i.e. syntactic unit) belongs to
a specific grammatical category and serves a
specific grammatical function.
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The tasks of syntax
• Grammatical categories =
(e.g. noun or verb )
• Grammatical function =
(e.g. subject or predicate )
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The tasks of syntax
• The study of Syntax involves two related
tasks:
(a) breaking down the sentence into its
components parts (i.e. constituents).
(b) assigning some grammatical label to
each
constituents,
to
say
what
grammatical category it belongs to and
what grammatical function it serves.
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An example
(1). The student talked.
This sentence has two constituents :
(a). the student
(b). Talked
• What is the Grammatical category of the
constituent (the student)?
• What is the Grammatical category of the
constituent (talked)?
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An example
(1). The student talked.
This sentence has two constituents :
(a). the student
(b). Talked
• What is the Grammatical function of the
constituent (the student)?
• What is the Grammatical function of the
constituent (talked)?
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Syntactic units
2014
SENTENCE
SENTENCE


CLAUSE
CLAUSE

PHRASE


PHRASE

WORD
WORD


MORPHEME
MORPHEME
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12
An example
(2). The boy took the ball and hid it.
Q: How many sentences do we have ?
A: One.
 The boy took the ball and hid it.
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An example
(2). The boy took the ball and hid it.
Q: How many clauses do we have ?
A: Two.
 The boy took the ball
 hid it.
 The boy took the ball and hid it
A sentence may consist of one or more
than one clause.
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An example
(3). The boy took the ball
Q: How many phrases do we have in the above
clause?
A: Two.
 the boy
the (Det) boy (N) - (noun phrase - NP)
 took the ball
took (V) the (Det) ball (N) (verb phrase – VP)
• Det = Determiner - N = Noun – V=Verb
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An example
(4). (he) hid it
Q: How many phrases do we have in the above
clause?
A: one.
 hid it (verb phrase – VP)
A clause may consist of one or more
than one phrase.
 A clause is made up of phrases
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An example
(5). The boy (NP)
Q: How many words do we have in the above
phrase?
A: Two.
 the (Det) + boy (N)
Head
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An example
(6). took the ball (VP)
Q: How many words do we have in the above
phrase?
A: three.
 took (V) +
the (Det)
+
ball (N)
Head
A phrase may consist of one or more
than one word.
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An example
(7). took the ball (VP)
Q: How many morphemes do we have in the
above phrase?
A: three.
 took , the , ball
A morpheme is the smallest indivisible
unit in syntax.
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An example
(8). talked (V)
Q: How many morphemes do we have in the
above word?
A: two.
 talk + ed
A word may consist of one or more
than one morpheme.
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Representing a syntactic structure
• There are two ways to represent a
syntactic structure:
a). Labelled Bracketing
[a square brackets ] = [ S John died]
XP
b). Tree Diagrams
X
XP
X
XP
X
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X
21
Examples
Labelled Bracketing
Sentence (S):
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
• [S1 [ S2 the boy took the ball] and [S3 hid it]]
Clauses (S):
• [ S1 the boy took the ball] and [S2 hid it]
• [ S the boy took the ball]
• [S he hid it]
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Examples
Phrases (P):
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
• [S1 [ S2 [NPthe boy] [VP took [NPthe ball]]]
[S1[VP hid [NP it]]]]
• [NP the boy]
• [VPtook]
• [NPthe ball]
• [VPhid]
• [NP it]
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and
23
Examples
Words:
e.g. The boy took the ball and hid it
• [NP [Det the] [N boy]]
• [VP [V took]]
• [NP [Det the] [ N ball]]
• [Coord and]
• [VP [V hid]]
• [NP [ N it]]
Coord = Coordinator
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Examples
[NP [ N it]]
•
•
•
•
•
•
[NP [Det the] [N boy]]
[VP [V took]]
[NP [Det the] [ N ball]]
[Corrd and]
[VP [V hid]]
[NP [ N it]]
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Examples
[VP [V hid] [NP [ N it]]]
•
•
•
•
•
[NP [Det the] [N boy]]
[VP [V took]]
[NP [Det the] [ N ball]]
[Corrd and]
[VP [V hid]]
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Examples
[S1[NP [N he]] [VP [V hid] [NP [N it ]]]]
•
•
•
•
•
[NP [Det the] [N boy]]
[VP [V took]]
[NP [Det the] [ N ball]]
[Corrd and]
[NP [N (he)]]
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Examples
[Corrd and]
[S1[NP [N he]] [VP [V hid] [NP [N it ]]]]
•
•
•
•
[NP [Det the] [N boy]]
[VP [V took]]
[NP [Det the] [ N ball]]
[Corrd and]
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Examples
[NP [Det the] [ N ball]]
[Corrd and]
[S1[NP [N (he)]] [VP [V hid] [NP [N it ]]]]
• [NP [Det the] [N boy]]
• [VP [V took]]
• [NP [Det the] [ N ball]]
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Examples
[VP [V took] [NP [Det the] [ N ball]]]
[Corrd and]
[S1[NP [N (he)]] [VP [V hid] [NP [N it ]]]]
• [NP [Det the] [N boy]]
• [VP [V took]]
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Examples
[S2[NP [Det the][N boy]] [VP [V took] [NP [
Det
the] [ N ball]]]
[Corrd and]
[S1[NP [N he]] [VP [V hid] [NP [N it ]]]]
• [NP [Det the] [N boy]]
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]
Examples
[S1[S2[NP
[N
[Det the][N boy]]
[VP [V took] [NP
ball]]]] [Cor and] [S3[NP [N he]] [VP
[Det
the]
[V
hid]
[NP [N it ]]]]]
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32
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
it
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Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
PRN
it
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Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
NP
PRN
it
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35
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
NP
hid
PRN
it
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Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
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Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
VP
(he)
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
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38
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
NP
PRN
(he)
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
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39
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
S3
NP
PRN
(he)
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
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40
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
N
ball
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41
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
the
2014
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N
ball
42
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
Det
the
2014
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
N
ball
43
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
NP
Det
the
2014
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
N
ball
44
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
NP
took
Det
the
2014
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
N
ball
45
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
V
took
NP
Det
the
2014
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
N
ball
46
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
VP
V
took
NP
Det
the
2014
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
N
ball
47
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
VP
boy
V
took
NP
Det
the
2014
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
N
ball
48
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
VP
N
boy
V
took
NP
Det
the
2014
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
N
ball
49
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
VP
the
N
boy
V
took
NP
Det
the
2014
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
N
ball
50
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
VP
Det
the
N
boy
V
took
NP
Det
the
2014
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
N
ball
51
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
NP
Det
the
VP
N
boy
V
took
NP
Det
the
2014
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
N
ball
52
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
S2
NP
Det
the
VP
N
boy
V
took
NP
Det
the
2014
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N
ball
53
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
S3
S2
NP
Det
the
N
boy
V
took
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
NP
VP
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
54
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
S3
S2
NP
Det
the
N
boy
V
took
NP
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
and
VP
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
55
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
Coord
and
S2
NP
Det
the
V
took
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
NP
VP
N
boy
S3
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
56
Representing a syntactic structure
b). Tree Diagrams
e.g. The boy took the ball and (he) hid it.
S1
Coord
and
S2
NP
Det
the
V
took
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
NP
VP
N
boy
S3
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
57
Assignment
 Choose one of the sentences on P.7 and
analyze it from sentence level to word
level using labelled brackets and a tree
diagram.
See you next week.
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58
Additional terminology
 Node is the point in a tree diagram which carries a
category label (e.g. S, NP, VP, N … etc).
S1
Coord
and
S2
NP
Det
the
V
took
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
NP
VP
N
boy
S3
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
59
Additional terminology
 Node is the point in a tree diagram which carries a
category label (e.g. S, NP, VP, N … etc).
 Branch : e.g. S2, S3, and Coord are branches of
S1
S1
Coord
and
S2
NP
Det
the
V
took
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
NP
VP
N
boy
S3
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
60
Additional terminology
 Terminal Node is one at the bottom of the tree (e.g.
Det, N, V, PRN).
 Terminal nodes are immediately above words (i.e.
lexical items)
S1
Coord
and
S2
NP
Det
the
V
took
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
NP
VP
N
boy
S3
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
61
Additional terminology
 Terminal Node is one at the bottom of the tree (e.g.
Det, N, V, PRN).
 Non-terminal Node is one which is not at the bottom
of the tree (e.g. S1, S2…) S1
Coord
and
S2
NP
Det
the
V
took
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
NP
VP
N
boy
S3
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
62
Additional terminology
 Mother: (e.g. S1 is the mother of S2, and S3,).
 Daughter: (e.g. S2,and S3, are daughters of S1).
 Sister: (e.g. S2,and S3, are sisters).
S1
Coord
and
S2
NP
Det
the
V
took
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
NP
VP
N
boy
S3
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
63
Phrase Structure Rules (PS rules)
S
S - Coord - S
S1
Coord
and
S2
NP
Det
the
V
took
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
NP
VP
N
boy
S3
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
64
Phrase Structure Rules (PS rules)
 S
 S
S - Coord - S
NP – VP
S1
Coord
and
S2
NP
Det
the
V
took
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
NP
VP
N
boy
S3
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
65
Phrase Structure Rules (PS rules)
 S
 S
 VP
S - Coord - S
NP – VP
V – NP
S1
Coord
and
S2
NP
Det
the
V
took
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
NP
VP
N
boy
S3
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
66
Phrase Structure Rules (PS rules)




S
S
VP
NP
S - Coord - S
NP – VP
V – NP
{Det – N / N}
Coord
and
S2
NP
Det
the
N
boy
V
took
S3
NP
VP
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
S1
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
67
Phrase Structure Rules (PS rules)
S1
Coord
and
S2
NP
Det
the
V
took
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
NP
VP
N
boy
S3
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
68
Phrase Structure Rules (PS rules)
S1
Coord
and
S2
NP
Det
the
V
took
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
NP
VP
N
boy
S3
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
69
Phrase Structure Rules (PS rules)
S1
Coord
and
S2
NP
Det
the
V
took
PRN
(he)
NP
Det
the
2014
NP
VP
N
boy
S3
N
ball
KAU-Syntax/ LANE-334
VP
V
hid
NP
PRN
it
70
Constituency
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71
Constituency
✔
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72
Constituency
✔
✔
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73
Constituency
✔
✖
*
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74
Constituency
✔
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75
Constituency
✔
✔
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76
Constituency
*
2014
✔
✖
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77
Constituency
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78
Constituency
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79
Constituency
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Phrase Structure Rules (PS rules)
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81
Phrase Structure Rules (PS rules)
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82
 Ambiguous sentences
S
NP
VP
V
hit
John
NP
the man with an umbrella
S
NP
John
VP
V
hit
NP
the man
2014
PP
with an umbrella
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83
Thank you
See you next time
2014
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84