UNED Apuntes, A Generative Introduction Suggested Answers Chapter 1-4 PDF

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UNED Apuntes, Sintaxis Inglesa, A Generative Introduction Suggested Answers Chapter 1-4...

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SYNTAX - A GENERATIVE INTRODUCTION / ANDREW CARNIE SUGGESTED ANSWERS

PART 1: PRELIMINARIES CHAPTER 1: GENERATIVE GRAMMAR 1. Prescriptive Rules Prescriptive rules are instructive in nature and are used to teach how to speak a particular language. Think of one commonly standard variety of English used by the BBC: the so-called RP to favour effective communication. It can also represent a particular social status. 2. Judgments a) Who did you see in Las Vegas? Prescriptive: The accusative form is “whom” not “who” b) You are taller than me Prescriptive: The pronoun should be in the nominative form. "You are taller than I" c) My red is refrigerator . Descriptive: syntactic “My red” can’t be a subject NP . Semantic deviousness: the sentence is meaningless d)*Who do you think that saw Bill? --> Descriptive: syntactic deviousness: a subject wh-phrase cannot be extracted across "that". This is the so called "that-trace effect" present in English but absent in other languages. e) Hopefully, we'll make it through the winter without snow Prescriptive: “Hopefully” means “in a hopeful manner” and it doesn’t mean “I hope that...”

f) My friends wanted to quickly leave the party Prescriptive Syntax: split infinitives are impossible. The adverb "quickly" cannot appear between "to" and the verb "want". g) Bunnies carrots eat Descriptive: Syntax: wrong word order

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h) John's sister is not his sibling Descriptive --> Semantic deviousness: the sentence is impossible. A sister must be a sibling. 3. Learning vs. Acquisition Unlike learning, acquisition turns out to be a complete process. In ordinary circumstances, one may forget what one has learnt, like, for example, "driving", but one cannot forget what one has acquired like, for example, "walking". This implies that acquisition is a cognitive experience whereas other less internal mechanism is involved when "learning". Other examples of learning processes are: reading, writing, playing basketball, while other examples of acquisition processes are: smelling, watching, speaking English or Dutch, etc.

4. Universals We could assume that all languages have one unique origin to explain the existence of universals.

5. Innateness One possible argument against "innateness" runs as follows: Children who are born in a jungle do not speak like any natural speaker of any language but they should if we believe that they are born with language in place. Experiment: compare the linguistic behaviour of two children, one living in a linguistic community and another who doesn't.

6. Levels of Adequacy a) Descriptively adequate: Juan Martinez has recorded what he has heard when dealing with adult speakers of Chicano English also looking at their music and recorded snatches of speech. b) Observationally adequate. This linguistic work may be described as an exercise of study of the structure of sentences in eleventh-century Welsh poems. c) Explanatory adequate. This linguistic work looks at one particular phenomenon and attempts to develop one hypothesis that may tested while looking at language development in the corpora of two-year-olds.

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CHALLENGE PROBLEM SETS 1. Anaphora Part One: Additional statement: Antecedents must appear to the left of anaphors, witness a) versus b) and c) versus d) Part Two: Additional statement: Only names are specified for person, gender and number. Quantifiers like "everyone" are not. They act as operators that bind a variable, the anaphor in the cases of e) and f).

CHAPTER 2: PARTS OF SPEECH 1. Part of Speech 1 a) The (D) old (Adj) rusty (Adj) pot-belly (N, Adj) stove (N) has (T) been (T) replaced (V) b) The (D) red-haired (Adj) assistant (N) put (V) the (D) vital (Adj) documents (N) through (P) the (D) new(Adj) efficient(Adj) shredder (N) c) The (D) large (Adj) evil (Adj) leathery (Adj) alligator (N) complained (V) to (P) his (D) aging (Adj) keeper (N) about (P) his (Adj) extremely (ADV) unattractive (Adj) description (N) d) I (N)'ve (T) just (ADV) eaten (V) the (D) last (Adj) piece (N) of (P) chocolate(Adj) cake (N). 2. Nootka 1) noun 2) verb 3) verb 4) noun 5) Nouns are modified by nominal operators which express definiteness while verbs are modified by tense (-na). 6) The same word can act as a different part of speech according to its distribution in the sentence. 3.

Gender Neutral Pronouns

Pronouns are a closed class.Evidently, co-opting a featurally mismatched form is preferred to innovation. 4.

Functional Categories

The categories appear below the words. The categories D, T, Neg, Conj, C and P are all closed class functional categories, so not marked as such below the save space. Likewise,only the closed lexical categories (here, pronouns) are marked for open/closed class below.

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The property D N readily Adv

of intorducing the P V/N D admitted; it V N-c

university slang will be N/Adj N T T is not less curious than that of the Old T Neg Adv Adj Conj N-c P D Adj

Bailey, and is N Conj T

less Adv

generally undesrtood. When the Adv Adj/V C D

accuracy N

of P

our D

additions N

volume, N

we N-c

have no T D

encouragement that is N C T

due Adj

are compared with the T V Conj D

doubt that N C to P

number N

its D

learning, N

price of N P

editors will meet N T V modesty, N

and Conj the D

with the Conj D

and virtue. Conj

5. Part of Speech 2 Here we can find a variety of responses wabe: N (follows Determiner) were: T for Tense since it bears the tense inflection in the sentence mome: Adj or N after ‘the’. If Adj, before a plural N; if N, before an agreeing verb (depending on whether the –s ending on ‘raths’ is a (plural) or (3rd Sg Pres).

outgrabe: V (out (prefix) + grabe) Jubjub: Adj (modifies noun) frumious (Adj) (after the –ious ending) bandersnatch (N): after frumious (Adj ) vorpal: Adj (modifies noun) manxone: Adj (modifies noun) tumtum: Adj (modifies noun) (after the) And: Conjunction (joins two parts of speech) (closed class) in: Preposition (closed class) thought: N ( after in ) uffish (Adj) (after ‘in’,before ‘though’, ‘-ish’ ending)

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he: This can be analysed as D, Pronoun or Noun Jabberwock (N) ( follows determiner) whiffling (Adv) (takes -ing form) the (D) (precedes Noun) (closed class) tulgey (Adj) (between ‘the’ and ‘wood’, -y ending) burbled (V) (takes tense -ed ending)

6.

Subcategories of Nouns

Noun Cats Milk New York They People Language Printer Himself Wind Lightbulb

Plural Count Proper Pronoun Anaphor + +

+ +

? + + + + +

+ +

+

+

+

NewYork is tricky, it can’t appear with a determiner, but it is of course a count noun. 7.

Subcategories of Verbs

There can be some variability in the answers here. spray sleep escape throw wipe say think grudge thank

V [NP_NP PP ] (ditransitive type 2) V [NP_ ] (intransitive) V[ NP_] (intransitive) V[ NP_NP] (transitive type 1) V [NP_NP] (transitive type 1) V [NP_NP {NP/PP}] (ditransitive type3) V [NP_NP] (transitive type 1) V [NP_NP/CP] (transitive type 2) V [NP_1] 8intransitive), I think, therefore I am. V [NP_NP/CP] (transitive type 2) (this is an unfamiliar verb in comparison with the verb be begrudge whcich is ditransitive V [NP_NP NP] ) V [NP_NP] (transitive type 1)

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pour

V [NP_] (intransitive the water poured onto the ground; V [NP_NP (transitive type 1) I poured the wine, v [NP_NP (NP/PP)] I poured her a glass of lemonade, I poured a glass of lemonade for her. V [NP_NP (NP/CP)] (ditransitive type 3; I sent him the message/ the message to him

send promise

V [NP_] (intransitive). I promise V [NP_NP/CP] (transitive type 2) I promised him; I promised that we’d go. V [NP_Np {NP/PP}] I promised him an apple, Promise is also an object control verb which can be analyzed as V (NP_NP {NP/CP}] V [ NP _] They kissed; V[ NP _NP] He kissed her. V[ NP _] (intransitive)

kiss arrive

CHAPTER 3: CONSTITUENCY, TREES AND RULES 1. Trees 1: NPs, AdjPs and AdvPs a)

AdjP AdvP

Adj smelly

Adv very

b)

AdvP AdvP

Adv quickly

Adv too c)

AdvP AdvP

AdvP

Adv quickly Adv too

Adv much

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d)

AdvP AdvP

Adv quickly

AdvP AdvP

Adv too Adv much

Adv very

e)

NP

D the

AdjP

N shoelace

Adj old f) D the

NP AdjP

AdjP

AdjP

Adj soggy

Adj limp

Adj spaghetti

g)

N noodle

NP D these

AdjP

N children

AdvP

Adj

Adv very

finicky

2. TREES: ENGLISH PPs

a)

NP D the

N desk

PP

P with

NP D the

AdjP

N drawer

Adj wobbly

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b)

PP

P in

NP D my

c)

AdjP

AdjP

Adj black

Adj rubber

N boots

NP D that

N notebook

PP

P with

NP D the

N scribbles

PP P in

NP D the

d)

N margin

NP

D the

N pen

PP P at

NP D N the back P of

PP NP D N the drawer P in

PP NP D N the desk P near

PP NP

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NP D the

NP AdjP

AdvP

N painting Adj yellow

D the

AdjP

AdjP

Adj bright

Adj yellow

N painting

Adv bright 3. SWEDISH NPs 1) AdjP

(AdvP) Adj

2) Determiners are not obligatory 3) AdjPs are not obligatory in NPs 4) PP

P NP

5) PPs are not obligatory in NPs 6) NP

(D) (AdjP+) N (PP)

7) g)

NP D ett

AdjP AdvP

N paraply Adj fint

Adv mycket

h)

NP D ett

AdjP

AdjP

Adj gammalt

i)

N paraply

Adj fint

NP D ett

AdjP Adj rött

N paraply

PP P med

NP D ett

AdjP

N handtag

Adj gult

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(8)

f) [ NP [ D ett] [ AdjP [ Adj gult] [ N apple] ] i) [ NP [ D ett] [ AdjP [ Adj rött] ] [ N paraply] [ PP [ P med] [ NP [ D ett] [ AdjP [ Adj gult ] ] [ N handtag] ] ] ]

4. ENGLISH

a)

TP

NP D the

VP N kangaroo

V hopped

PP P over

NP D the

b)

N truck

TP

NP N I

VP T haven’t V seen

NP D this

c)

PP

N P sentence before

TP

NP N Susan

VP T will

AdvP Adv never

V sing

PP P at

NP N weddings

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d)

TP VP NP D The

N officer

AdvP

V NP inspected

Adv Carefully

D the

N license

e) TP NP D every

VP N cat

NP

AdvPV Adv always

V knows

D the

N PP location P of

NP D ADJP ADJP N her toy Adj Adj favourite catnip

f) TP NP D the

VP N cat

V put

PP NP

D her

g)

NP P on

AdjP N toy Adj catnip

D AdjP N the mat Adj plastic

TP NP D The

AdjP

VP N child

AdvP Adv very

Adj young

V walked P from

PP NP N school

PP P to

NP D the

N store

[S [NP [D The ] [AP [AP [A very] ] [A young]] [N child] ] [VP [V walked] [PP [P from [NP [N school]]] [PP [P to [NP [D the] [N school]]] ] ]

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h) TP NP

VP

John

V NP PP paid D N P a dollar for

NP D a

N PP head P of

NP N lettuce

[S [NP [N John ]] [VP [V paid] [NP [D a] [N dollar] ] [PP [P for] [NP [D a] [N head ] [PP [P of] [NP [N lettuce ] ] ] ] ]]]

i)

TP NP Teenagers

VP

V drive

AdvP AdvP

Adv

Adv rather

quickly

[TP [NP Teenagers] [VP [V drive] [AdvP [Adv rather] [AdvP [Adv quickly] ] ] ] j)

TP

NP D

AdjP

A

Adj N clever magician

VP T PP can

NP

P with

V

NP D

fool

AdjP N

NP D

AdvP N

the audience

Adv easily

the right equipment

[TP [NP [D a] [N magician] [PP [P with] [NP [D the] [AP [A right] [NP equipment] ]]] [T can [VP [V fool] [NP [D the] [N audience]] [AP [A easily] ] ] ]

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k)

TP NP D The

VP N police

T might

V plant

NP D the

pp

N P drugs in

NP D the

N apartment

[TP [NP [D The ] [N police] ] [T might] [VP [V plant] [NP [D the] [NP drugs]] [PP [P in] [NP [D the] [N apartment] ] ] ] ]

l)

TP NP D Those

AdjP

T

VP

N should hopefuls

Adj Olympic

V

AdvP

practice

AdvP

Adv diligently

Adv daily

[TP [NP [D Those] [NP [AP [A Olympic] ] [N hopefuls] ] [TP [T should] [VP [V practice] [AP [A diligently] ] [NP [AdvP [Adv daily ] ] ] ]

m)

TP

NP

D

AP

N

The

A research latest

VP

PP

P on

AP

V

NP

A

warns

N

always

dieting

NP

PP

N P people about D

NP N

PP

the dangers

P

of AdjP AdvP Adj Adv too

NP N cholesterol

much

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n)

TP NP D

T

AP

NP

A

N

VP

was

V

That annoying faucet

AdvP

PP

dripping Adv

P

constantly

NP

N months [TP [NP [D That] [AP [A annoying] ] [NP [N faucet] ] ] [T was] [VP [V dripping] [AdvP [Adv constantly] [PP [P for] [NP [N months] ] ] ] ] o)

for

TP NP

VP

N Marian

V wonders

CP C if

TP NP

T will

VP

D N PP the package P NP from

AdvP

V arrive

Adv ever

N Boston p)

TP NP N I

VP

V said

CP

C that

TP

NP N Bonny

T should

VP V do

NP D some

N dances

PP

P NP from D AdjP N the East Adj Middle

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q)

TP VP CP C that

TP NP

AdvP

VP

N Dan V smokes

V bothers

Adv really

N Alina

PP P In

NP D the

r)

NP

N office

TP VP NP D The

N belief

CP

C that

V emboldened

NP

TP

N professor AdvP Adj AdjP N V NP cocky theory reveals AdvP Adj Adj too syntactic D AdjP N PP AdvP Adv the structure much Adj Adv inner P NP already of N sentences NP

D the

VP

AdjP

8. AMBIGUITY a) John said Mary went to the store quickly = John said that Mary went quickly to the store a’) John said Mary went to the store quickly= John said quickly that Mary went to the store

a)

TP NP

VP

John V

TP

said NP

VP

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N Mary V went

PP

AP

NP

P to

D the

a’)

N

A quickly

store

TP

NP

John

VP

V

CP

said

AdvP Adv quickly

TP NP

VP

N Mary

V went

PP p to

NP D the

N store

b) I discovered an old English poem: I discovered a poem written in Old English b’) I discovered an old English poem: I discovered an old poem from England (or written in Modern English)

b) TP NP I

VP V discovered

NP D AdjP an AdvP Adj

N poem

Adv English

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old b’)

TP NP I

VP

V discovered D an

NP AdjP Adj Old

c)

AdjP

N

Adj poem English

Two sisters reunited after 18 years in checkout counter

c1) Two sisters [[[[reunited] after 18 years]] in checkout counter]  Two sisters met again in checkout counter after having seen each other for 18 years

TP VP NP D Two

N sisters

V reunited

PP

PP

P NP after P D N in 18 years

NP Adj P N counter Adj checkout

c2) Two sisters [[reunited ] [after 18 years in checkout counter] ]  Two sisters met having been working together in checkout counter for 18 years TP VP NP D Two

N sisters

V reunited

PP P NP PP after D N P 18 years in

NP AdjP N counter Adj checkout

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d)

Enraged cow injures farmer with ax

d1) Enraged cow [injures [farmerr with ax]]  Enraged cow injures farm who had carried an ax TP

VP NP AdjP N cow Adj Enraged

V injures

NP N farmer

PP P with

NP N ox

d2) Enraged cow [injures [farmer] [with an ax]]  Enraged cow injures farm with the help of an ax TP

VP NP AdjP N cow Adj Enraged

V injures

NP N farmer

PP P with

NP N ox

e) Hospitals are sued by seven foot doctors e.1 Hospitals are sued by [seven [foot doctors]]  Hospitals are sued by seven podiatrists TP

NP T VP ! are N V PP Hospitals sued P NP by / ! \ D AdjP N seven ! doctors Adj foot

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e.2 Hospitals are sued by [[seven foot] doctors]]  Hospitals are sued by doctors who are seven foot tall

TP

NP T VP ! are N V Hospitals sued

PP

P NP by / \ NP N / \ doctors DN seven foot