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Linear Grammar Theory - Slideshow

Linear grammar theory treats the structure of sentences as a linear pattern of grammatical categories, such as determiners, nouns, adverbs, and verbs. Categories are arranged in a "beads on a string" fashion, where the choice of each successive category depends on the one immediately following it. This slot-and-filler approach is also known as immediate constituent analysis. Under linear grammar, sentences can be broken down and rewritten as rules specifying the linear sequence of categories. Examples analyze sentences into their constituent parts and rewrite them as rules.

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April Anne Moncada
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930 views6 pages

Linear Grammar Theory - Slideshow

Linear grammar theory treats the structure of sentences as a linear pattern of grammatical categories, such as determiners, nouns, adverbs, and verbs. Categories are arranged in a "beads on a string" fashion, where the choice of each successive category depends on the one immediately following it. This slot-and-filler approach is also known as immediate constituent analysis. Under linear grammar, sentences can be broken down and rewritten as rules specifying the linear sequence of categories. Examples analyze sentences into their constituent parts and rewrite them as rules.

Uploaded by

April Anne Moncada
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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LINEAR GRAMMAR

THEORY
A MODEL OF LINGUISTIC DESCRIPTION
• Focuses on the structure of the
sentence, treating the sentence as
a string of grammatical categories
LINEAR like beads in a necklace
GRAMMAR
THEORY • Also known as “slot-and-filler
grammar”
Fries (1957) calls this • Treats the structure of the
successive sentence as a linear pattern, such
segmentation analysis
of a sentence as that the choice of each successive
immediate constituent category is dependent upon the
analysis (ICA). category immediately following it
Example 1

Sentence: These boys generally walked home.


Analysis:
These boys generally walked home.
D N ADV V ADV

Rewrite Rule: D + N + ADV + V + ADV → S


Where
D = determiner ADV = adverb
N = noun V = verb S = sentence
Example 2
Sentence: The tall haughty lady delivers a speech.
Analysis:
The tall haughty lady delivers a speech.
D ADJ ADJ N V D N
Rewrite Rule: D + ADJ + ADJ + N + V + D + N → S
Where
D = determiner ADV = adverb
N = noun V = verb S = sentence
• Make your own linear grammar analyses of the
following sentences

1. Maycomb was an old town.


2. A black dog suffered on a summer’s day.
3. They were soaked with the frosting of sweat and
talcum.

Assignment
Submit your answers to the
assignment page.
Reference

Pesirla , A. O. (1999). Theories of Literature and


Linguistics. Cebu Normal University.

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