Transformational Generative Grammar Quiz
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Questions and Answers

Who is credited with introducing the concept of transformations to linguistics?

  • Noam Chomsky
  • Zellig Harris (correct)
  • Louis Hjelmslev
  • Albert Sechehaye

    • What is transformational grammar?

  • A theory of generative grammar
  • A set of defined operations to produce new sentences from existing ones
  • A system of rules that generate exactly those combinations of words that form grammatical sentences (correct)
  • A method of analyzing the structure of sentences

    • Who were some of the humanistic grammarians who developed transformational analysis?

  • Albert Sechehaye and Sanctius
  • Plato and Aristotle
  • Thomas Linacre and Julius Caesar Scaliger (correct)
  • Noam Chomsky and Louis Hjelmslev

    • What is the difference between semantics and syntax?

    <p>Semantics is concerned with meaning, while syntax is concerned with grammar</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is generative algebra?

    <p>A theory of algebra applied to linguistics</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is functional grammar?

    <p>A grammar that focuses on the function of language in communication</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the historical context of transformational analysis?

    <p>It was established in the Middle Ages as a natural science</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the difference between the humanistic classics and the modern notion of universal grammar?

    <p>The humanistic classics believed in transformational terms while the modern notion suggests unmarked biological grammar</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two types of rules in transformational generative grammar?

    <p>Phrase-structure rules and transformational rules</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Katz and Fodor's research on English grammar employ?

    <p>Introspection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why couldn't Katz and Fodor's findings be generalized cross-linguistically?

    <p>Their findings could not belong to an innate universal grammar</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Chomsky's Minimalist Program?

    <p>A program for exploring the possibility of a more lenient approach to transformational rules</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the initial state of the cognitive language faculty according to Chomsky?

    <p>SVO word-order</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the difference between deep structure and surface structure in Chomsky's theory?

    <p>Deep structure represents the core semantic relations of a sentence while surface structure represents the phonological form of the sentence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the core observation about elegance in language?

    <p>Learning to use a language correctly requires certain additional effects such as ellipsis.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the difference between the surface structure and the deep structure of a sentence?

    <p>The surface structure is the shortened version while the deep structure is the full underlying idea.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the concept of agent and patient in active and passive sentences?

    <p>The agent is the subject of the sentence while the patient is the object.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of transformations in language according to Sanctius?

    <p>Transformations are used to simplify language.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Ferdinand de Saussure argue for in linguistic analysis?

    <p>Linguistic analysis should be limited to the surface structure of language.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the difference between the transformational grammar of the 1960s and Renaissance linguistics?

    <p>The transformational grammar of the 1960s is based on the theory of innate grammar while Renaissance linguistics considered language manmade.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the basis of generative linguistics according to Chomsky and his colleagues?

    <p>Generative linguistics is based on the theory of innate grammar.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which theory introduced the term 'transformation' in linguistics?

    <p>Standard Theory</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the input for a typical transformation in TG?

    <p>D-structure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of subject-auxiliary inversion (SAI) transformation in TG?

    <p>To generate surface structure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which theory did transformations come to be viewed as holding over trees?

    <p>Extended Standard Theory</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did transformations become in the late 1980s according to government and binding theory?

    <p>Information-adding operations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of transformation adds information to already existing trees by copying constituents?

    <p>Post-deep structure transformations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the earliest conception of transformations in linguistics?

    <p>Construction-specific devices</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the construction-specific transformations morph into in the 1970s?

    <p>General rules</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the single general rule that replaces the construction-specific transformations?

    <p>Move alpha</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Transformational Grammar and Linguistics

    • The concept of transformations in linguistics is credited to Noam Chomsky.

    Transformational Grammar

    • Transformational grammar is a theory of grammar that posits that sentences have two levels of representation: deep structure and surface structure.

    Humanistic Grammarians

    • Humanistic grammarians who developed transformational analysis include Sanctius.

    Semantics vs. Syntax

    • Semantics deals with the meaning of sentences, while syntax deals with the arrangement of words to form sentences.

    Generative Algebra

    • Generative algebra is a mathematical approach to linguistics that deals with the study of grammar.

    Functional Grammar

    • Functional grammar is a linguistic theory that focuses on the functional relationships between elements in a sentence.

    Historical Context of Transformational Analysis

    • Transformational analysis has its roots in Renaissance linguistics, which emphasized the importance of understanding the underlying structure of language.

    Humanistic Classics vs. Universal Grammar

    • The humanistic classics viewed language as a product of culture and history, whereas the modern notion of universal grammar views language as an innate human ability.

    Types of Rules in Transformational Generative Grammar

    • There are two types of rules in transformational generative grammar: phrase structure rules and transformational rules.

    Katz and Fodor's Research

    • Katz and Fodor's research on English grammar employed a semantic theory that tried to relate the meaning of sentences to their syntactic structure.
    • However, their findings could not be generalized cross-linguistically.

    Chomsky's Minimalist Program

    • Chomsky's Minimalist Program is a linguistic theory that aims to simplify the theory of grammar by reducing it to its most basic elements.

    Initial State of the Cognitive Language Faculty

    • According to Chomsky, the initial state of the cognitive language faculty is an innate capacity for language acquisition.

    Deep Structure and Surface Structure

    • In Chomsky's theory, deep structure refers to the underlying representation of a sentence, while surface structure refers to the actual arrangement of words in a sentence.
    • The difference between deep structure and surface structure is that deep structure represents the underlying meaning of a sentence, while surface structure represents the physical arrangement of words.

    Elegance in Language

    • The core observation about elegance in language is that language has an inherent beauty and simplicity that can be uncovered through linguistic analysis.

    Agent and Patient

    • The concept of agent and patient refers to the roles of entities in active and passive sentences.
    • In active sentences, the agent performs the action, while in passive sentences, the patient receives the action.

    Sanctius' View of Transformations

    • According to Sanctius, transformations play a crucial role in language by allowing speakers to convey different meanings through different sentence structures.

    Ferdinand de Saussure's Argument

    • Ferdinand de Saussure argued for the importance of studying language as a system of signs and symbols.

    Renaissance Linguistics vs. Transformational Grammar

    • The transformational grammar of the 1960s differed from Renaissance linguistics in its focus on the underlying structure of language rather than its surface-level features.

    Basis of Generative Linguistics

    • According to Chomsky and his colleagues, the basis of generative linguistics is the idea that language is an innate human ability that can be studied scientifically.

    Introduction of the Term 'Transformation'

    • The term 'transformation' was introduced into linguistics through the work of Noam Chomsky.

    Input for a Typical Transformation

    • The input for a typical transformation in TG is a phrase structure representation of a sentence.

    Purpose of Subject-Auxiliary Inversion (SAI) Transformation

    • The purpose of the subject-auxiliary inversion (SAI) transformation is to form questions from declarative sentences.

    Theory of Trees

    • In some theories, transformations come to be viewed as holding over trees, which represent the syntactic structure of sentences.

    Government and Binding Theory

    • In the late 1980s, transformations became viewed as relations between nodes in a tree, according to government and binding theory.

    Copying Constituents

    • The type of transformation that adds information to already existing trees by copying constituents is called "copying transformations".

    Earliest Conception of Transformations

    • The earliest conception of transformations in linguistics dates back to the work of Sanctius.

    Construction-Specific Transformations

    • Construction-specific transformations morphed into a single general rule in the 1970s.

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    Description

    Test your knowledge of transformational generative grammar with this quiz! Challenge yourself to identify the two types of rules included in this theory and learn about the history of the concept. Keywords: transformational generative grammar, Chomsky, rules, phrase-structure, transformational.

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