Week 5

Question 1

Nominal positions

Answer 1

1. Subject
2. Direct object

Finite subclauses can occupy several structural positions (i.e. can fulfil several functions).

Question 2

Other positions

Answer 2

Extraposed subject

Finite subclauses can occupy several structural positions (i.e. can fulfil several functions).

Question 3

Non-nominal complement positions

Answer 3

1. Complement to N
2. Complement to A
3. Complement to P

Finite subclauses can occupy several structural positions (i.e. can fulfil several functions).

Question 4

Non-nominal modifier positions

Answer 4

1. Adverbial
2. Modifier of nominal

Finite subclauses can occupy several structural positions (i.e. can fulfil several functions).

Question 5

What is remarkable about subordinating conjunctions?

Answer 5

They can only appear in adverbial clauses. This, therefore, is a restricted class of complementisers.

Question 6

Subordinating conjunctions

Answer 6

Subordinating conjunctions carry more meaning than the standard complementisers that and whether: they introduce conditions, reasons, results, purpose.

Examples: although, unless, since, if, because, once, as, now, so, while.

Question 7

If-clause

Answer 7

If = condition for firing him.

I’ll fire him [if he doesn’t work harder].

Question 8

So-clause

Answer 8

So = reason for my leaving.

I’m leaving [so I can catch my train].

Question 9

What do adjunct adverbial clauses modify?

Answer 9

Adjunct adverbial clauses modify the event introduced in a VP.

I will be rich if I win the lottery (adjunct adverbial clause).

Question 10

Other two adverbial clauses…

Answer 10

1. Conjunct: comment on why the sentence is being expressed, relative to the discourse.

If you’re wondering, I’ll split the winnings 50/50.

2. Disjunct: provide the speaker’s opinion on her own expression.

It’ll make me a millionaire, if I’m not mistaken.

Question 11

What is the position of an adjunct adverbial clause in a tree?

Answer 11

Adjunct adverbial clauses are sister to the highest VP (higher than temporal subclausal adjuncts).

Question 12

Where do conjunct and disjunct adverbial clauses appear in a tree?

Answer 12

They are sisters to S (and daughters to S).

Question 13

How are relative clauses introduced?

Answer 13

They are introduced by a relative pronoun (1) that refers to the antecedent (2)

Books (2) which (1) reviewers have praised are popular.

Question 14

What do relative clauses modify?

Answer 14

Nouns, because they occur inside NPs.

Books [which reviewers have praised •] are popular.

Question 15

What do relative clauses contain?

Answer 15

A gap

Books [which reviewers have praised •] are popular.

Question 16

Restrictive and non-restrictive applies to…

Answer 16

Relative clauses

Question 17

Restrictive relative clause

Answer 17

Restrictive relative clauses restrict the number of possible referents for the antecedent.

Food [which we like •] is now available.

Question 18

Non-restrictive relative clause

Answer 18

Non-restrictive relative clauses give additional information about the (unique) referent identified by the antecedent.

Food, [which we like •], is now available.

Question 19

How do restrictive and non-restrictive relative clauses appear in a tree?

Answer 19

They both are sister to N’.

s11.

Question 20

What are tests for distinguishing between restrictive and non-restrictive relative clauses?

Answer 20

1. Intonation
   • Non-restrictive relatives necessarily receive “comma-intonation”:
   - The neighbours, who I like…
   • Restrictive relatives don’t usually receive “comma-intonation”.
   - The neighbours who I like…
2. Modifying proper nouns
   • Non-restrictive relatives can modify proper nouns: John, who I like…
   • Restrictive relatives can’t modify proper nouns: *John who I like…

*Restrictive relatives can only modify proper nouns if they are first transformed into common nouns: The Joun that I like has arrived.

3. Restriction on COMP
   • Non-restrictive relatives can only be introduced by a WH-phrase.
   - The friends, [who I like •], left.
   - The friends, [that I like •], left.
   - The friends, [Ø I like •], left.
   • Restrictive relatives can often be introduced by a WH-phrase, that, or Ø.
   - The friends [who I like •] left.
   - The friends [that I like •] left.
   - The friends [Ø I like •] left.

Can also learn table from PP14.

Question 21

Syntactic difference between that-relatives and noun complement clauses

Answer 21

That-relatives are sisters to N’ whereas noun complement clauses are sisters to N.