Syntax Flashcards
Syntax
Study of grammar
Acceptable ordering in a sentence
Set of rules understood by all speakers
Creativity: can generate new sentences based on these rules
Language «rules»
Rules refer only to a particular point in time, because:
- Language is always changing
- always exceptions
- membership to linguistics categories are fuzzy
Criteria of word classes
- definition
- distribution
- shape
Open class words
Content words
Open-class, all have primary syllable, N, V, Adj, Adv
Closed class words
Do not readily add new members, can become obsolete
- determiners: the
- prepositions: in
- pronouns: he
- auxiliary: be
- conjunctions: and
- interjections: yes
Nouns
Generally closed to verbs
Have modifiers: pre-modifiers and post-modifiers
Nouns groups
-countable nouns: singular+plural
-non-countable: do not use «a», numbers or have a plural
(Beware ellipsis)
- common nouns: label a whole class of things
- proper nouns: capitalized, label a specific thing
- concrete: can be felt
- abstract: non physical
Verb groups
Punctual: instant action
Durative: long duration
Performative: the action is said aloud
Lexical: normal verb causing an action
auxiliary: support other verbs, can be primary or modal
- defective: lex or aux that cannot be inflected/ have a limited use
Labelling verbs
- infinitive
- V+s: present tense
- V+ed: past tense
- V+ing: present participle
- V+en: past participle
Auxiliary verbs categories
Primary: have, be, do
(Lexical and auxiliary)
Modal: closed class, always auxiliary, versatile when indicating tense
Verbs and their complement
Groups
- no complement: require nothing
- one complement: require one phrase
- two complements: require 2
- optional complement: can be dropped
Predicate adjuncts
Not require by verbs and not complements but modify predicate
Transitivity
Transitive verbs: have 1 single obligatory NP
Intransitive: have no NP complement
Ambi-transitive: can have or nit gave complements (either transitive or intransitive)
Ditransitive: 2 phrases follow verb
Copula verbs
Always require a complement
Be, seem, appear, become
Adjectives
Express properties/ qualities of a noun they modify and can be inflected
Distribution:
- before noun: attributive
- after copula verb: predicate adjective
Adjective groups
Stative: characteristics over which there is no control
Dynamic: control possible
Adverbs
Modify verbs generally
Shape: traditionally end with «-ly»
Prepositions
- time
- space
- directions
Before a NP (relationship between NP)
- simple: in
- complex: into
Determiners categories
Articles: a, the
Demonstrative: proximal: this
distal: that
Quantifiers: all, few
Interrogative pronouns: who, how
Personal pronouns: me, you
Possessive pronouns: mine, yours
ConjunctionsPhrase
Form: how it is built
NP, VP, AdjP, AdvP, PP
Function: how it is used; subject, predicate
Can be embedded
NP
- N
- Pronoun
-Name
Or
-Det AdjP N PP
PP
P + NP
AdjP
Embedded in NP
Head: adjective
Modifier: degree adverb
Degree adv + adj
Advp
Embedded in VP
Head: adverb
Modifier: degree adverb
Degree adverb + adverb
VP
V
AdvP V NP PP
Verb in tree diagram
Tense
Aspect
Voice
Aspect of verb
Imperfective: action ongoing (=continuous)
Be aux + V ing
Perfective: action complete
Have aux + V en
Voice of verb
Active
Static passive: be-
Dynamic passive: get-
Middle voice
Mood of verb
Modal verb + infinitive
Sentence vs clause
Simple sentence: one independent clause
Compound: 2 or more clauses coordinated
Complex: one independant + one subirdinate
Clauses types
Finite: conjugated verb
Non-finite: no-conjugated verb
Relative clause
