LINB06H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Phrase Structure Rules, Mass Noun, Adverb
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Syntax is about the study of sentence structure: we can describe a sentence as a simple linear string of words, words in sentences are grouped into units (called constituents) These constituents are grouped into larger constituents an so on until you get a sentence. In order to capture the relationship between words we need to look at constituency and hierarchical structure. Constituents; a group of words that function together as a unit: the (cid:858)(cid:396)elated(cid:374)ess(cid:859) is (cid:272)aptu(cid:396)ed (cid:271)y (cid:373)e(cid:373)(cid:271)e(cid:396)ship i(cid:374) a (cid:272)o(cid:374)stitue(cid:374)t. Co(cid:374)stitue(cid:374)ts do(cid:374)(cid:859)t float out i(cid:374) spa(cid:272)e: they are embedded one inside another to form larger and larger constituents, this is hierarchical structure. The sentence constituent (represented by the symbol tp) consist of two constituents: a subject noun phrase (np) and a predicate phrase or verb phrase (vp) The subject np is turn contains a noun (n) and a determiner (or article) (d) The vp contains a verb (v), and and object np.
