Week 2 Flashcards
1
Q
Why syntax
A
- Syntax is the glue of communication- it allows to communicate complex and precise ideas, thoughts and information
- Many individuals we work with may have challenges in the area of syntax- characterized by difficulties understanding or using sentences when speaking, writing and listening
- Arranged around word classes, important to understand word classes to understand syntax
Complex ideas
2
Q
What is syntax
A
- Syntax: The set of rules to combine words into phrases, clauses and sentences
- Sentence: Linguistics units consisting of one or more clauses. *Sentences are constructed from phrases and clauses
- Sub-system of language
- Allows us to make sense of sentences, governs the arrangement of words and we are all using the same syntax to convey understanding to each other
- Other languages have different syntax rules
The morphology of syntax
3
Q
The morphology of syntax
A
- =syn - Meaning ‘with/together’
- = taksis - meaning ‘place’
- To understand how sentences work, we must understand how phrases and clauses work
4
Q
Criterion of a phrase
A
- Phrase: A grammatical unit smaller than a sentences, consisting of one or more words which share a grammatical function
Cohesive linguistic unit
5
Q
Criterion for identifying phrases
A
- Transposition: The ability for a phrase to be transposed, or moved, to another part of a sentence and still make sense e.g. Very large men run up the incredibly large mountain during winter. During winter a very large men run up the incredibly large mountain
Substitution: the ability for a group of words to be replaced by a single word e.g. Very large men run up the incredibly large mountain during the winter. They run up it.
6
Q
Structure of phrases
A
- Just as there are different types of words, there are also different types of phrases
- The way words are ordered into phrases determines the type of phrase
- Phrases have a head; the main agent/concept
- Phrases also have modifiers; words that add meaning to the head
- e.g. the old man: Man is the head of the phrase, old is a modifier
The word class of the head determines the type of phrase: the old man - a noun phrase; because the head of the phrase (main agent) is the man
7
Q
What are noun phrases
A
- The head of the phrase is a noun
- Can be a single word, such as Simon or a pronoun such as he, them, me, you
Or can be a collection of words such as the car, very large me
- Can be a single word, such as Simon or a pronoun such as he, them, me, you
8
Q
How to identify noun phrases
A
- We use the criteria of transposition and substitution
- e.g. Simon drove the car
- Transposition: the car was driven by Simon
- Substitution: He drove it
Can have a structure of other phrases: words can take different structures
9
Q
Prepositional phrase
A
- The head phrase is a preposition
- Prepositions are types of words that indicate place or time
- Often consist of a preposition and noun phrase (e.g. a noun phrase within a prepositional phrase
- Place or time: Prepp
Proceed common noun
10
Q
How to identify prepositional phrases
A
- We use the criteria of transposition and substitution. Note transposition is often a better test than substitution
- e.g. they were swimming for an hour
- Transposition: For an hour they were swimming
- Substitution:
- Responds to a question of where or how long
- Prepp + noun phrase: Constructed from preposition and noun phrase
- Phrase within a phrase: Noun phrase in preposition phrase
Phrases can exist within other phrases
11
Q
Adjective phrase
A
- The head of a phrase is an adjective
Can be a single word such as dirty or a group of words such as very happy
12
Q
How to identify adjective phrases
A
- We use the criteria of transposition and substitution
- E.g. Simi is very intelligent
- Transposition: Very intelligent is Simi
- Substitution: -
Presence of smaller phrases
13
Q
Adverb phrase
A
- The head of the phrase is an adverb
Can be a single word such as fast, or a group of words such as faster than the rest
14
Q
How to identify adverb phrases
A
- We use the criteria of Transposition and Substitution
- e.g. Tina drove faster than the rest
- Transposition: Faster than the rest Tina drove
Substitution: -
15
Q
Verb phrase
A
- The head of the phrase is a verb
- Can be a single word such as runs, eats, looks, or a combination of words
- e.g. my friend made many bags
- The lady looked very happy
- Her classes started today
Verb phrases do not easily meet criteria of Transposition and Substitution
16
Q
What are syntax trees
A
- Deconstructs sentences
- Figure out phrases that are and aren’t present
- Syntax trees
- They: Phrase (noun phrase) (can be single or more than one word) (pronoun)
- Swam for an hour: Verb phrase (can consist of a verb and prepositional word)
- For an hour: for (prep), an hour (noun phrase)
Noun phrase: an hour (has determiner an and hour (noun)
17
Q
Function of phrases
A
Beyond having a structure (e.g. np, adjp, advp, prepp, vp), phrases also have a function within the clause/sentence. That is, they serve a particular role in forming the meaning of the sentence
18
Q
What is a clause
A
- A linguistic unit that consists of a sequence of phrases, containing at least a subject/agent and a verb
- A clause can act as a stand-alone sentence. That is, a sentence may consist of a single cause (simple sentence) or more than one clause (compound or complex sentence)
- The functions that phrases may serve can include: subjects, objects, verbs, complements, adverbials (SVOCA)
e.g. He is drinking by the pool (Phrases: np + vp + Prepp)
19
Q
SVOCA
A
- Phrases form into clauses and clauses make sentences. A simple sentence is a sentence consisting of just one clause
- Today, we are focusing on phrases in single clauses; in other words, the simple sentence (e.g. Mary is eating dinner; He is riding a bike).
- SVOCA represents that five functions of phrases - phrases can be subjects, objects, verbs, complements or adverbials
20
Q
Subjects
A
- Primary argument of the sentence
- Often the primary noun phrase, though not always (e.g. running up the hill is tiring)
He, she, they = subjective pronouns (e.g. pronouns functioning as subjects) - Needs to take subjective form: He, she and they
- Often the primary noun phrase, though not always (e.g. running up the hill is tiring)
21
Q
Verb
A
- Consist of a single word (full verb) or a full verb + one or more auxiliary verbs
- The verb element is central to the declarative clause
- Verb agreement refers to all other phrase structures of a clause agreeing grammatically to the verb
e.g. he likes lollies vs I like lollies
All clauses must have a verb element
22
Q
Direct objects
A
- Direct: A noun phrase that is not the subject. For this to be possible, direct objects are found in sentences where there are 2 noun phrases (E.g. the cat eats the food)
- Transitive verbs: Verb with a direct object. Can be made into passive form
- Objective pronouns = him, her, serve as direct objects (e.g. the dog chased him)
- Direct objects are found when there are two noun phrases
- Transitive verb: Object in a sentence e.g. a song
- Intransitive: No direct object
We can changed sentences with transitive words into a passive
23
Q
Indirect objects
A
- Indirect objects: Indirect objects the entity that ‘benefits’ from the action in the verb. They are the second Object within a clause
- Found in sentences where there are 3 + Noun phrases (e.g. the boy gave the cat the food)
- There are particular verbs that often proceed the presence of indirect objects: buy, bring, lend, make, pour, send, show, throw as well as prepositional phrases with for and to (e.g. he threw the ball to her, he made the cake for her)
- The boy: subject
- A card: Object
- Made: verb
- The boy: Subject
- Suzie: Object (indirect), benefits from the action of the verb (benefits from making the card)
Card: Object (direct), the boy made a card for suzie, so direct object is the card as it is what was made
24
Q
Complement
A
- The phrase element that is the complement of a copula
- The complement phrase refers to the subject and follows a copula verb in a clause
- Copula refers to the verb to be/to have when it is acting as the full verb, become appear, feel, seem
- Copula: verb to be (where there is no other full verb)
- He: Subject
- Is: verb (copula)
- A kind man: Complement
Complement: The complement of a copula or follows a copula phrase
25
Q
Adverbial
A
- The phrase element that provides information about the location, time or manner of the action of the verb in the clause
Asking a question containing, where, where to, where from, how or when can help us identify adverbial elements. If the phrase answers one of these questions, it is likely functioning as an adverbial
26
Q
Analyzing clauses
A
- Clause level analysis involves identifying the different phrase structures, as well as identifying the functions of the different phrases
- Structure of phrases: Noun, prepositional, adjective, adverb, verb
Function of phrases: Subject, verb, objects, complement, adverbial
- Structure of phrases: Noun, prepositional, adjective, adverb, verb
