Syntax 2007 09 19

Diagnostics for structure, cont.: 

Diagnostics for structure, cont. Introduction to Syntax ANTH 359/759 Fall 2007

Announcements: 

Announcements There are no changes to the syllabus at http://www.tulane.edu/~ling/ANTH359/ Photos

Terminology: 

Terminology The neutral and presumably most frequent position of a constituent is called its canonical position. In English, the canonical position of the subject is before the verb and of the object is after the verb. This is also called the unmarked position.

Movement: 

Movement Moving a constituent puts it in a marked, or non-canonical position, and results in a special interpretation. By the principle of economy, we would expect that an operation that rearranges constituents must be associated with some particular interpretative effect, otherwise it would be more economical to use the canonical order.

Question formation: 

Question formation In English, a question that starts with an interrogative pronoun is called a WH question, because most interrogative or WH pronouns start with something like wh. who(m), what, when, where, why, which, whose, (whither) how

Question formation targets constituents: 

Question formation targets constituents We should go to Europe next summer. Who should go to Europe next summer? When should we go to Europe? Where should we go to next summer? To where/Whither should we go next summer? What should we do next summer? or What should we do?

Deletion/ellipsis: 

Deletion/ellipsis As we have already suggested, it targets constituents Mary: I think we should go to Europe next summer. John: I think we should [VP Ø], too. Ø = [VP go to Europe next summer]

Focalization, 1: 

Focalization, 1 Cleft sentences target constituents It is us who should go to Europe next summer. It is next summer that we should go to Europe. It is Europe that we should go to next summer. It is to Europe that we should go next summer. It is go to Europe that we should do next summer. or It is go to Europe next summer that we should do.

Focalization, 2: 

Focalization, 2 Pseudo-cleft sentences target constituents Who should go to Europe next summer is us. When we should go to Europe is next summer. Where we should go to next summer is Europe. Where we should go next summer is to Europe. What we should do next summer is go to Europe. or What we should do is go to Europe next summer.

Co-ordination: 

Co-ordination Co-ordinating conjunctions: and, or, (neither …) nor; but is borderline Co-ordination targets constituents You and I should go to Europe next summer. We should go to Europe next summer and next fall. We should go to Europe and Morocco next summer. We should go to Europe and to Morocco next summer. We should go to Europe and eat snails next summer. or We should go to Europe next summer and eat snails next fall.

Exercise 4, pp. 127-8: 

Exercise 4, pp. 127-8 ‘prevent hurricanes’ is replaced by so ‘small movies’ is replaced by ones; ‘some of the more interesting ones’ is moved to the beginning of the sentence ‘adapt to being poor again’ is deleted after to ‘Great Expectations’ is moved to the beginning of the sentence ‘a talented team’ is deleted after been two VPs are coordinated ‘the epitome of Middle England’ is replaced by so ‘children’s stories’ is replaced by ones ‘just entering the work force’ is coordinated with eyeing retirement ‘whether …’ is moved to the beginning of the sentence

Exercise 5, pp. 128-130: 

Exercise 5, pp. 128-130 *The customer in the corner will order before dinner the drinks. The customer in the corner will order before dinner all the drinks to go with the entire meal and the dessert. argued + sentence; no, it is at the end of the sentence, after the adverb

Exercise 6, pp. 130: 

Exercise 6, pp. 130 they go home; we go home the driver gets out; you get out

Exercise 7, pp. 131-2: 

Exercise 7, pp. 131-2 The customer in the corner will [VP[VPorder the drinks] [co-ord and] [VP pay for the meal]]

Exercise 8, pp. 132-4: 

Exercise 8, pp. 132-4 3a The customer in the corner will [VP[VP choose the dessert] [PP before the meal]] and [VP order the drinks]].

Exercise 9, pp. 134-5: 

Exercise 9, pp. 134-5 AP and present participle AP and PP present participle and present participle adjective and present participle present participle and present participle NP and AP adjective and present participle adjective and PP PP and PP noun and PP

Quiz 2: 

Quiz 2 MIN = 4 MAX = 10 AVE = 8.2 I only took off 1/2 point for an additional incorrect response

Next time: 

Next time VP and S §II.2.1-5: pp. 92-107, Ex. 2, 10, 16-18