10 Questions
Who proposed the theory of transformational grammar?
Noam Chomsky
What does transformational grammar consider grammar to be?
A system of rules generating grammatical sentences
What are the defined operations used in transformational grammar called?
Transformations
What did Noam Chomsky's work contradict?
The uniqueness of every language
Which book by Noam Chomsky led to the domination of transformational grammar in linguistics?
Syntactic Structures
What was the principal objective of Transformational-Generative Grammar?
To explain how native speakers generate and comprehend all possible grammatical sentences of a language through a finite set of rules
According to Chomsky's theory, what are the two levels of representation for a sentence?
Deep structure and surface structure
What does a transformational grammar aim to show about seemingly different sentences?
They are very similar in their underlying structure or deeper relations to one another
What is the purpose of assigning a deep structure and a surface structure in transformational grammar?
To show the relationship between different sentences
What does it mean for a grammar to be generative?
It must generate all and only the grammatical sentences of a language
Study Notes
Theory of Transformational Grammar
- Noam Chomsky proposed the theory of transformational grammar.
- Transformational grammar considers grammar to be a system of rules that are innate to the human mind.
Key Concepts in Transformational Grammar
- The defined operations used in transformational grammar are called transformations.
Chomsky's Contribution
- Noam Chomsky's work contradicted the behaviorist approach to language acquisition.
Influence of Chomsky's Work
- Noam Chomsky's book "Syntactic Structures" led to the domination of transformational grammar in linguistics.
Objective of Transformational-Generative Grammar
- The principal objective of Transformational-Generative Grammar is to describe the underlying rules and principles that govern the structure of sentences in a language.
Levels of Representation
- According to Chomsky's theory, a sentence has two levels of representation: a deep structure and a surface structure.
Purpose of Transformational Grammar
- A transformational grammar aims to show that seemingly different sentences can have the same underlying structure.
Deep Structure and Surface Structure
- Assigning a deep structure and a surface structure in transformational grammar helps to reveal the underlying relationships between words in a sentence.
Generative Grammar
- A generative grammar is a grammar that is capable of generating an infinite number of possible sentences from a finite set of rules.
Test your knowledge of transformational grammar in linguistics with this quiz. Learn about the theory of generative grammar and the use of transformations in producing new sentences from existing ones.
Make Your Own Quizzes and Flashcards
Convert your notes into interactive study material.
Get started for free
