Syntax Flashcards
What is the head of a phrase and what does it carry?
The most important word
carries lexical content
usually the only obligatory element
What is it called when a phrase is substituted for a single word?
It is the head
Word class of head determines the word class of the phrase.
eg/ pronoun replaces proper noun
What are the two parts of a phrase?
The head and the dependants
What is the number and type of possible dependents determined by?
type of phrase
nature of head
What do {} mean in phrase rules?
lexicon
What do verbs require?
a certain number of arguments
Valence
What do grammatical relationships describe?
argument relationship to verb
most important: subject and object
What does transitivity describe?
number of arguments in a clause
dictated by valence
What is an intransitive sentence?
One argument (1NP) She sleeps.
What is a transitive sentence?
2 arguments (2NP) The dog chased the cat.
What is a ditransitive sentence?
arguments (subject, direct, and indirect objects)
She threw the ball to the boy
3 ways to distinguish subject and object
Constituent order
Case marking
Verbal marking
What is the constituent order for English?
SVO
Semantic roles (9)
Agent Patient Theme Experiencer Goal Benefactive Source Instrument Locative
What is an agent?
a participant that is volitional and controls the action
What is a patient?
Physically affected by the action
“undergoer”
What is a theme? (semantic role)
The entity that is moved by the action or event described by the verb
What is the experiencer?
Living entity that experiences the action or event described by the verb
What is the goal? (semantic roles)
location or entity in the direction of which something moves
What is the benefactive?
entity that benefits from event
How is the theme encoded in English?
object
How is the experiencer encoded in English?
Subject
