Chap.4 Syntax 3

7 Transformations (转换)
e.g. The boy will come.
7 Transformations
S (InflP)
NP Specifier Infl X (head) VP Complement
7 Transformations
S (InflP)
NP Det N Infl VP V
② Secondly is transformation rules—modify the structure by moving one element from one position into another position.
4.7 Transformations
There exist two levels of syntactic structures:
7 Transformations
This type of inversion operation which involves the movement of a word from one head position into another head position, is also called “head movement” (中心语移位).
6 Sentences (S Rule)
Thus, a S has the same internal structure as other phrases: NP as the Specifier, Infl as the head, an VP as the complement.
XP
Specifier
6 Sentences (S Rule)
InflP (S)
NP Det N Infl V VP NP
the boy
will
find
Det N
the dog
7 Transformations (转换)
XP rules and lexicon knowledge can tell us how phrases and sentences are generated(生成).
Transformation does not change word categories, and it does not add/delete any part of the structure.
7 Transformations
Thus, though “will” has been moved into the Comp position, its Infl label still remains.
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And this position the auxiliary takes is the same as the position that a Complementizer takes, then we say, in fact, all Ss exist within larger CPs, whether they are embedded or not. So, we say,
• Infl • will
•
the
boy
come
7 Transformations
In this S, transformation is in the form of inversion (倒装/倒置), and it can move the Infl “will” from the head position to the beginning position.
As we have seen, a S should be formed through the use of two rules. ① Firstly is XP rules—determine the internal structure of phrases.
4.7 Transformations
7 Transformations
CP
C NP S Infl VP
do
N
birds
(do) V
fly
7 Transformations
CP
C Infl NP S Infl VP
do
N
birds
e
V
fly
4.7 Transformations
4.7.3 Deep / Surface structure
7 Transformations (转换)
4.7.1 Auxiliary movement
According to the XP rule, Inflection is the head word which occurs as the center of the S, and NP is the Specifier at the left side of Infl, VP is the Complement at the right side of Infl.
7 Transformations
CP C NP S Infl VP
N
birds
Pst
V
fly
7 Transformations
CP C S
NP
N birds
Infl VP
do V fly
7 Transformations
② Then, we can apply the transformation in this CP, as we have done just now.
This position that originally was taken by “will” is now marked by the symbol “e” (empty), and this position is call a trace(语迹).
7 Transformations
This transformation shows that, the auxiliary “will” has been moved from head position in InflP (S) into head position in CP.
6 Sentences (S Rule)
InflP (S)
NP Det N Infl V VP NP
the boy
Pst
found
Det N
the dog
6 Sentences (S Rule)
② If there is an auxiliary verb in the S, the S
structure can be represented as follows. e.g. The boy will find the dog.
V come
7 Transformations
CP C
The boy will come. S(InflP) NP
Det the N boy
Infl
will
Infl
(will)
VP
V come
7 Transformations
•
• • C NP Det N
CP
The boy will come. S Infl e VP V
But there are still some other language phenomena that cannot be satisfactorily explained, such as yes-no questions and whquestions, both of which involve a syntactic movement.
head (X)
Complement
6 Sentences (S Rule)
S (InflP)
omplement
6 Sentences (S Rule)
① If there is no auxiliary verb in the S, the S structure can be represented as follows. e.g. The boy found the dog.
7 Transformations
We may assume that, a yes-no question is built in two steps: Step 1: the usual XP rule is applied to generate a S structure in its normal way, i.e., Infl is in head position, NP in Specifier position, and VP in complement position.
The boy will come.
S(InflP) Infl N boy will VP V come
NP Det the
7 Transformations
• • •
• •
The boy will come. S(Infl) Infl
will
NP
Det the N boy
Infl
(will)
VP
the boy
will
come
7 Transformations
However, in a yes-no question, the Inflction (the auxiliary verb) is at the beginning of the S.
e.g.
Will the boy come?
7 Transformations
4.7.2 Do insertion
The yes-no question that contains an auxiliary is easy to generate though transformation. Then, how to generate a yes-no question from a S that does not contain an auxiliary verb?
all Ss are in fact CPs.
7 Transformations
In this process, we should notice that, what a transformation can do is only change the position of an element.
7 Transformations
e.g.
Do birds fly?
7 Transformations
① In order to solve this problem, linguists suggest that an interrogative “do” could be added into the originally empty position of Infl.
7 Transformations
Step 2: a transformation is required, which means, this rule can move an element from one position to another position
7 Transformations (转换)
D-structure(深层结构) —formed by XP rule and subcategorization. S-structure(表层结构) —produces the final syntactic structure of S.
4.7 Transformations
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6 Sentences (S Rule)
Traditionally, S XP
NP + VP.
(Specifier) X (Complement)
6 Sentences (S Rule)
Nowadays, many linguists believe that Ss also have their heads, just as any other phrase does. They use an abstract category inflection “Infl” as the head of an sentence, and NP is seen as the specifier of the sentence, VP is seen as the complement of the sentence.