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Phrase Structure Rules

The document discusses phrase structure rules which determine the structure of phrases in sentences. It provides examples of patterns in phrases such as noun phrases (NP) consisting of determiners and nouns, and verb phrases (VP) consisting of verbs, noun phrases, and prepositional phrases. The main phrase structure rules are outlined, including rules for sentences (S), noun phrases, verb phrases, prepositional phrases, and complement phrases. Deep and surface structure are discussed, along with structural ambiguity and recursion. Transformational rules are introduced as a way to derive different surface structures from the same deep structure.

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Alif Adham Arif
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
3K views

Phrase Structure Rules

The document discusses phrase structure rules which determine the structure of phrases in sentences. It provides examples of patterns in phrases such as noun phrases (NP) consisting of determiners and nouns, and verb phrases (VP) consisting of verbs, noun phrases, and prepositional phrases. The main phrase structure rules are outlined, including rules for sentences (S), noun phrases, verb phrases, prepositional phrases, and complement phrases. Deep and surface structure are discussed, along with structural ambiguity and recursion. Transformational rules are introduced as a way to derive different surface structures from the same deep structure.

Uploaded by

Alif Adham Arif
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Phrase structure rules

Some words seem to belong together:


o {The crazy man} {is jumping off the bridge}

Groups of words that belong together are called constituents The component that determines the properties of the constituent is the head, and the constituent can be referred to as a phrase: e.g. noun phrase
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If we look at phrases, some patterns emerge: Det N the instructor = NP Det N a friend = NP Det N some homework = NP Det N two classes = NP

Another patterns: V Det N call the instructor= VP V Det N meet a friend = VP V Det N do some homework = VP V Det N skip two classes = VP

and yet more patterns: Prep Det N with the instructor= PP Prep Det N from a friend = PP Prep Det N with some homework = PP Prep Det N after two classes = PP

Phrase Structure Rules


Rules for determining the structure of phrases. Generate a lot of sentences from a small number of rules. The structure of a phrase will consist of one or more constituents in a certain order. What does a NP consist of ?
o noun phrases have a Det and a N

NP

Det N

Constituents in a sentence
Sentence
Noun phrase (NP) Verb phrase (VP)

Det

V
Det

NP
N P

PP
NP

Det
The children put the toy in the

N
box
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Phrase Structure Rules


V Det N V Det N V Det N

run a marathon
V Prep Det N

eat the food


V Prep Det N

read the book


V Det N Prep Det N

go to the store

talk with a teacher

take your sister to the library

Verb phrases have a V, (sometimes) an NP, and (sometimes) a PP

VP -> V (NP) (PP)

The main phrase structure rules


1. S NP VP 2. NP {Det N, Pro, PN}

3. VP V (NP) (PP) (CP)


4. PP P NP 5. CP C S

Phrase Structure Rules & tree diagrams


NP (Det) N PP P NP

The boy (NP) Det The N boy

the boy in the yard NP Det N P Det The boy in the PP NP N yard
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Phrase Structure Rules


VP V (NP) (PP)
took the money (VP) V Det NP N took the money from the bank VP V Det NP N P Det took the money from the PP NP N bank
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took

the

money

Example (1)

S NP VP VP V (NP) (PP)
S

The old tree swayed in the wind


NP VP

Det

Adjctve

V
P

PP
NP

Det
The old tree swayed in the

N
wind
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Example (2)
The children put the toy in the box
S
NP VP

Det

V
Det

NP
N P

PP
NP

Det
The children put the toy in the

N
box
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Example 3

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Back to Generative Grammar


How superficially different sentences are closely related? How superficially similar sentences are different?

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Deep and surface structure


The deep structure is an abstract level of structural organization in which all the elements determining structural interpretation are represented.
o Sentences that have alternative interpretations o Sentences that have different surface forms but have the same underlying meaning.

Surface structure= how the sentence is actually represented

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Deep and surface structure


How superficially different sentences are closely related? o Charlie broke the window. o The window was broken by Charlie o Charlie who broke the window. o Was the window broken by Charlie?
Difference in their surface structure = difference in syntactic forms BUT they have the same deep or underlying structure
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Structural ambiguity
How superficially similar sentences are different? (multiple meanings) E.g. Annie whacked the man with an umbrella

Same surface structure but different deep structure


o The boy saw the man with a telescope

The question is: What is the scope of "with the telescope"? Does it modify only "the man" or does it modify "saw the man"?
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Structural Ambiguity (1) The boy saw the man with the telescope
S
NP VP

Det

V
Det

NP
N P

PP
NP

Det
The boy saw the

man with the telescope


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Meaning: Using the telescope, the boy saw the man

Structural Ambiguity (2)


The boy saw the man with the telescope
S NP Det N V Det N P Det The boy saw the VP NP PP NP N

man with the telescope


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Meaning: The boy saw the man. The man had a telescope.

Recursion
Rules can be applied more than once in generating sentences E.g. repeat prepositional phrase more than once Put sentences inside sentences

o The gun was on the table near the window in the bedroom in the pink house o This is the cat that ate the rat that ate the cheese that was sold by the man that lived in the city that was on the river

No end to recursion- produce longer complex sentences


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Back to recursion
[Mary helped George]. (A sentence) [Cathy knew] that [Mary helped George]. (a sentence within a sentence) [John believed] that [Cathy knew] that [Mary helped George]. The word that introduces the complement phrase

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Complement Phrases
Cathy knew that Mary helped George That = complementizer (C) introducing complement phrase (CP) The CP comes after the VP S NP VP VP V CP CP C S

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Complement Phrases

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Transformational Rules
Phrase structure rules represent deep structure- always generate structures with fixed word order. Mary saw George recently Recently Mary saw George Transformational rules= take a specific part and attach it in another place You will help Cathy Will you help Cathy?

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Transformational Rules

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