Lecture 15: Syntax III

[Edited version of class lecture notes - as usual, no substitute for coming to class.]

1. Evidence for recursive VP structure: VP-deletion

We can show evidence to confirm the claim that when a PP combines with a VP to modify the meaning of the VP, the VP and the PP together form another VP. Recall from the last class that in sentences like (11a), a VP may be replaced by the sequence do so. Now look at the sentences in (1b-f) and see what 'do so' is standing in for. As you see, 'do so' can stand in for strings like 'chased the dog', but it can also stand in for longer sequences like 'chased the dog in the park in the morning'. If we're right in our assumption that 'do' substitutes for phrases that are VPs, then we can conclude that all of these strings are VPs.

1.

a. The cat chased the dog, and the ferret did so too.

did so = chased the dog

 

b. The cat chased the dog in the morning, and the ferret did so too.

did so = chased the dog in the morning

 

c. The cat chased the dog in the morning, and the ferret did so in the afternoon

did so = chased the dog

 

d. The cat chased the dog in the park in the morning, and the ferret did so in the living-room in the afternoon

did so = chased the dog

 

e. The cat chased the dog in the park in the morning, and the ferret did so in the afternoon

did so = chased the dog in the park

 

f. The cat chased the dog in the park in the morning, and the ferret did so too.

did so = chased the dog in the park in the morning.

2. Ambiguity

Modifiers for NP or VP: account of ambiguity

4.

a. The dog in the park chased the cat

The NP 'the dog in the park', in which the PP 'in the park' modifies the meaning of the NP 'the dog', can be generated if we add to our little grammar a rule which allows PPs to combine with NPs, much in the same way that we have already seen them combining with VPs. This can be expressed in a rule like (12b).

b. NP --> NP PP

This now allows us to give an explanation for ambiguous sentences like (12c). The PP 'in the park' could be in the structure as an NP-modifier or as a VP-modifier.

c. NP or VP modifiers

The cat chased the dog in the park

Another kind of ambiguity that

d. multiple VP modifiers

Wendolene realized that Wallace likes Cheddar in the bathtub

e. Wendolene realized that Wallace likes Cheddar in the bathtub on Thursday

 

For this sentence, which contains two PP modifiers, we can generate a number of different structures for the sequence of words. There are 3 ways in which the PPs can be interpreted, and one way in which the PPs cannot be interpreted:

 

(i) both PPs interpreted in embedded clause

(ii) both PPs interpreted in main clause

(iii) first PP interpreted in embedded clause, second in main clause

(iv) IMPOSSIBLE: first PP interpreted in main clause, second in embedded clause ... the structures available to us will not allow this.

 

 

5. Modifiers for N: recursion again

a. This big dog

b. N --> AdjP N

c. AdjP --> Adj

d. This big brown dog

e. This big brown ferocious dog

6. Replacing N with 'one': testing the recursive structure

a. This small white timid one

b. This small white one

c. This small one

d. This one

7. Fromkin & Rodman's treatment of NPs & VPs

a. NP --> Art (Adj)* N (PP)

b. VP --> V (NP) (PP)

8. Our treatment of NPs & VPs

a. NP --> Det N

b. NP --> NP PP

c. N --> Adj N

d. VP --> V

e. VP --> V NP

f. VP --> V NP PP

g. VP --> V NP NP

h. VP --> V S'

i. VP --> VP PP

j. VP --> Adv VP

Advantages:

• treatment of obligatory vs. optional
• treatment of recursion
• treatment of constituency

3. Temporary Ambiguities

7a. While Julia was baking the cake burst into flames.

b. I gave the boy the dog bit a package.

4. Word-order differences

Different word-order patterns can be generated using:

(i) same rules/tree-fragments as English

(ii) changing order of rules/tree-fragments

NP --> N Det

PP --> NP P

VP --> NP V

S' --> S Comp

S --> VP NP

9. Japanese: A 'Head-final' language

tomodatini futari

friends two

 

Tokyo kara

'T. from'

 

Masaga ringoo tabeta

Masa apple ate

 

Daikoga Ayumiga Kazukoo hometa to itta

Daiko Ayumi Kazuko praised that said

'Daiko said that Ayumi praised Kazuko.'

Other Word Order Patterns

S --> NP VP

VP -> V NP

yields "SVO" word order pattern

Which word orders can be generated by reordering elements of these two rules?

SVO, SOV, VOS, OVS

[accounts for rarity of OSV]

Two common word orders that we can't yet account for: VSO, verb-second

In order to explain how to generate these word orders, we need to take a diversion into an area of English syntax that we also can't account for with our current set of rules. [This is the main topic of Lecture 16.]