TS 11 Syntax PDF

7 Syntax (Part 2) Introduction to English Linguistics – Schleburg 7 Syntax Provisional result At this point you should be able to … mark the immediate constituents of a well-behaved English sentence, identify finite and non-finite clauses, identify phrases of...

7 Syntax (Part 2) Introduction to English Linguistics – Schleburg 7 Syntax Provisional result At this point you should be able to … mark the immediate constituents of a well-behaved English sentence, identify finite and non-finite clauses, identify phrases of all types and analyse their constituents in terms of form and function down to the level of word-forms. form sentence function form clause clause function form phrase phrase phrase phrase function form word word word word word word word word 7 Syntax Functions at the clause level: VERB (V) Manchester City has staged a superb comeback ending Liverpool’s record run of ten consecutive wins. Forms that can fulfil the function VERB: verb phrase The unlucky thing: Flying in the face of ›The Single Most Important Thing To Know About Syntax‹, our model of syntax uses the same label for the word class verb (i. e. forms like to stage and to end) and the clause function VERB (i. e. what a form like has staged or ending does in a clause). The lucky thing: The clause function VERB is always realised by a verb phrase, and every verb phrase functions as VERB of a clause at some level. This means: wherever there is a verb (word class), there will also be a verb phrase, a VERB (clause function) and a clause – each at its respective level. 7 Syntax Functions at the clause level: SUBJECT (S) Many people consider the new mayor an extraordinary nuisance. By the way, she is my sister. To make such a statement in public is a bit of a risk. That this is the best candidate is evident. Forms that can fulfil the function SUBJECT: noun phrase (or pronoun, of course) clause Criteria for the identification of the SUBJECT: position constituent order: SV case *her is my sister concord *Many people considers the new mayor... behaviour under passivisation The new mayor is considered... by many people. question tag Many people consider..., don’t they? 7 Syntax Functions at the clause level: SUBJECT In English, a finite clause usually needs an overt subject: (Your private copy of the OED? Gosh! ) It’s a thing of beauty! Even if there is no semantic equivalent, an empty subject is formally required to fill the syntactic slot: (Your garden party? Look...) It’s raining again! So-called null-subject languages allow the omission of subject pronouns: contrastive Czech: Řekla: »Prší!« ‘[she] said: [it] rains’ Ancient Greek: Eĩpen: »Hýei!« ‘[s/he] said: [it] rains’ Romanian: Spuse: »Plouă!« ‘[s/he] said: [it] rains’ 7 Syntax Functions at the clause level: DIRECT OBJECT (OD) Many people consider the new mayor an extraordinary nuisance. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet around 1600. He likes to relax on the balcony. I can positively affirm that every measure which could improve the situation has been taken by our authorities in strict accordance with the instructions issued by the President. Forms that can fulfil the function DIRECT OBJECT: noun phrase (or pronoun, of course) clause Criteria for the identification of the DIRECT OBJECT: position constituent order: SVO case *Many people consider he... behaviour under passivisation Hamlet was written … 7 Syntax Functions at the clause level: INDIRECT OBJECT (OI) The local council awarded him a scholarship. He bought his daughter a villa in the country. Let us give whoever wants a copy of the book! Forms that can fulfil the function INDIRECT OBJECT: noun phrase (or pronoun, of course) clause Criteria for the identification of the INDIRECT OBJECT: position constituent order: SVOIOD transformation into prepositional phrase awarded … to him bought … for his daughter English allows passivisation for both indirect and direct objects: he was awarded a scholarship … cf. German *er wurde ein Stipendium verliehen a scholarship was awarded … cf. German ein Stipendium wurde verliehen 7 Syntax Functions at the clause level: SUBJECT COMPLEMENT (CS) Your boss is a nice fellow. That looks pretty suspicious. Patrick became what you might call a confidence trickster. Forms that can fulfil the function SUBJECT COMPLEMENT: noun phrase adjective phrase clause ›linking verb‹ Criteria for the identification of the SUBJECT COMPLEMENT: reference to SUBJECT expressed by copula like be, become, seem no passivisation *a nice fellow is been by your boss Zero copula: contrastive Arabic: allāhu ʾakbar ‘God [is] greater’ Chinese: tā hěn piàoliang ‘she [is] very beautiful’ Russian: on parikmakher ‘he [is a] hairdresser’ 7 Syntax Functions at the clause level: OBJECT COMPLEMENT (CO) Many people consider the new mayor an extraordinary nuisance. She called him a murderer. I find this solution quite unacceptable. Forms that can fulfil the function OBJECT COMPLEMENT: noun phrase adjective phrase Criteria for the identification of the OBJECT COMPLEMENT: position constituent order: SVOCO semantic reference to OBJECT behaviour under passivisation *an extraordinary nuisance is called … he is considered an extraordinary nuisance CS 7 Syntax Functions at the clause level: ADVERBIAL (A) Next Tuesday, I shall probably visit her mother for an hour, to see if she’s feeling better, unless she telephones me before that. Forms that can fulfil the function ADVERBIAL: adverb phrase prepositional phrase noun phrase clause Criteria for the identification of (most) ADVERBIALS: optionality mobility 7 Syntax Functions at the clause level: ADVERBIAL by then the book should have been returned to the library the book by then should have been returned to the library the book should by then have been returned to the library the book should have by then been returned to the library the book should have been by then returned to the library the book should have been returned by then to the library the book should have been returned to the library Semantically, ADVERBIALS are modifiers of … the verb phrase: She hugged me tenderly once more and gracefully jumped out of the window. the entire clause: Wisely, Mr Hobbes consulted his lawyer first. They ultimately managed to climb the façade of the building. an implied speech act verb: Frankly [I say:] there is nothing I can do. In a word [I say:], he is a traitour!