Transcript 句法学
English Linguistics: An Introduction
Chapter 5 Syntax
Chapter 5 Syntax
0. Warm-up Questions
4. Syntactic Category
1. Definition
5. Syntactic Construction
2. Syntactic Unit
6. Syntactic Relation
3. Syntactic Function
7. Beyond the Sentence
0. Warm-up Questions
What is your classification of sentences?
Do you know the terms for different grammatical
elements (e.g. subject)?
Do you think that a sentence is a sequence of words?
How do you analyze the structure of a sentence?
In what ways are clauses or sentences connected?
1. Definition
The word syntax, derived originally from Greek, is
made up of two morphemes: {syn} and {tax}. The
former means “together”, and the latter “to arrange”,
hence the literal meaning “a setting out together” or
“arrangement”.
In linguistics, it refers to the study of the rules
governing the way words are combined to form
sentences in a language, or simply, the study of the
formation of sentences.
2. Syntactic Unit
2.1 Word
the minimum physically definable free form (See
Chapter 4)
2.2 Phrase
e.g. the three tallest girls (nominal phrase)
has been doing (verbal phrase)
extremely difficult (adjective phrase)
to the door (prepositional phrase)
very fast (adverbial phrase)
2. Syntactic Unit
2.3 Clause
Definition: a constituent both of a larger sentence and
with its own subject and predicate
Classification: finite (independent and fully inflected)
and non-finite (infinitive, participial and gerundial
phrase)
e.g. He laughs best who laughs last. (finite)
It is great for a man to be free. (infinitive)
Having finished their task, they came. (participial)
It’s no use crying over spilt milk. (gerundial)
2. Syntactic Unit
2.3 Sentence
Definition: traditionally the minimum part of language
that expresses a complete thought; “one not included …
in any larger linguistic form.” (Bloomfield, 1935)
Traditional approach:
simple, non-simple (complex, compound)
Functional approach:
Indicative [interrogative (yes/no, wh-), declarative]
Imperative (jussive, optative)
Quirk et al (1972): SV, SVA, SVC, SVO, etc.
3. Syntactic Function
3.1 Subject
One of the nouns in the nominative case, the doer of
the action, grammatical subject in passive voice, topic.
e.g. A dog bit John. (agent/doer)
John was bitten by a dog. (grammatical subject)
(Jack is pretty reliable, but) Bill I don’t trust. (topic)
3.2 Predicate
The part of a sentence excluding the subject and
including verb, object, complement, etc. The word
PREDICATOR is suggested for the verb or verbs.
3. Syntactic Function
3.3 Object
traditionally the “receiver” or “goal” of an action after
the verb and prep. It is further classified into direct
object and indirect object.
e.g. Mother gave my sister (indirect) a doll (direct).
3.4 Complement
A constituent of a clause used to predicate a description
of the subject or object of the clause.
e.g. The class made him monitor. (object complement)
He is monitor of the class. (subject complement)
3. Syntactic Function
3.5 Modifier (or qualifier)
A word or sentence element that limits or qualifies
another word, a phrase, or a clause. In English, there are
two kinds of modifiers: adjectives, which modify
nouns and pronouns, and adverbs, which modify verbs,
adjectives, and other adverbs.
e.g. Linguistics is the scientific study of language.
We are working very hard at linguistics.
4. Syntactic Category
4.1 Senses of Category
Classes and functions: noun, noun phrase, subject
Defining properties of word classes: number, gender,
case, tense, aspect, degree (adj.), etc.
4.2 Noun (pronoun) Category
Number: I (singular) vs. we (plural) a book vs. books,
Gender: his (masculine)/her (feminine)/they (neutral),
Case: nominative (I), accusative (me), vocative (Oh, my
god.), genitive (my), dative (I gave a book to him.),
ablative (He opened the door with a key.)
4. Syntactic Category
4.3 Verb Category
Tense: present (future), past
Aspect: simple, progressive, perfect
Voice: active, passive
Mood: indicative, subjunctive, and imperative
Finiteness: finite,
non-finite (infinitive, gerund, participle)
5. Syntactic Construction
5.1 Definition
A syntactic structure, e.g. a phrase, a clause, a sentence
5.2 Types of Constructions
Whole category: clausal, phrasal
Internal relation: endocentric (coordination,
subordination), exocentric
Coordination: go to the library and read a book
Subordination: swim in the lake
Exocentric: behind the door (cf. right behind)
5. Syntactic Construction
5.3 Constructional Analysis: IC analysis
Basic concepts
constituent: an element of a construction
immediate constituent (IC): a constituent directly
below the level of a construction
ultimate constituent: the last level of constituents
IC Analysis: the analysis of a sentence in terms of it
ICs-word groups, which are in turn analyzed into the
immediate constituents of their own and the process
goes on until the ultimate constituents are reached.
5. Syntactic Construction
5.3 Constructional Analysis: IC analysis
IC Analysis
The analysis may be carried out with brackets as:
( (Poor) (John) ) ( (ran) (away) )
It may also be more easily shown with a tree diagram:
Poor John ran away
6. Syntactic Relation
6.1 Positional Relation (word order)
The sequential arrangement of words in a language.
Also syntagmatic, horizontal or chain relations
Language typology: SVO, VSO, SOV, OSV, OVS, VOS
6.2 Relation of Substitutability
Classes or sets of words substitutable for each other
grammatically in sentences with the same structure.
Also paradigmatic relations, vertical or choice relations
6. Syntactic Relation
6.3 Relation of Co-occurrence
Means that words of different sets of clauses may
permit or require the occurrence of a word of another
set or class to form (a particular part of) a sentence.
The relations belong to partly paradigmatic relations
and partly syntagmatic ones.
7. Beyond the Sentence
7.1 Sentential Connection
Hypotactic/subordinate relations
We live near the sea. So we enjoy a healthy climate.
Paratactic/coordinate relations
He dictated the letter. She wrote it.
7. Beyond the Sentence
7.2 Cohesion
Definition: semantic relations within the text
Cohesive devices:
You can’t have your cake, and eat it too. (Reference)
The cake is nice. I want to have one. (Substitution)
Have you a cake? Yes, I have one. (Ellipsis)
Take a cake, and eat it. (Conjunction)
The cake is a kind of delicious food. (Lexical cohesion)