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2010-11 LINGUA INGLESE 1 modulo A/B Introduction to English Linguistics prof. Hugo Bowles. Lesson 13 Syntax 2. The top of the tree. So the tree for any sentence (S) should start like this: This means that every sentence is made up of a noun phrase and a verb phrase. S. NP. VP. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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2010-11 LINGUA INGLESE 1 modulo A/BIntroduction to English Linguisticsprof. Hugo Bowles
Lesson 13Syntax 2
1
The top of the tree So the tree for any sentence (S) should start
like this:
This means that every sentence is made up of a noun phrase and a verb phrase
S
VPNP
The bottom of the tree What we need to do is to connect:
the structureat the topof the tree
TOthe words of the sentenceat the bottom of the tree
the hairy dog walks quickly in the park
S
VPNP
Det A N V Adv P Det N
Connecting top and bottom
You need to start at the bottom of the tree and build more phrases on to the categories. These phrases could be:
Noun phrases Adverb phrases Prepositional phrases Adjective phrases
What a complete tree looks like
a sentence divides into a noun phrase ……………….. and a verb phrase
these attach to
phrases or
and categories categories
attach to words the hairy dog walks quickly in the park
S
VPNP
Det A N V Adv P Det N
AP AdvP NP
PP
How to analyse the syntactic structure of a simple sentence
It’s a bit like decorating a Christmas tree:
Write S NP + VP at the top Write the words of the sentence at the bottom Write the categories above the words Where necessary put the categories into phrase
structures (NP, Adv,P, AP, PP) Attach the phrase structures to the main NP and
VP
Ambiguous sentencesThese sentences look the same but theyhave a different meaning
The man hit the intruder with a stick The man hit the intruder with a wooden leg
They should have a different syntacticstructure. Where is the difference going to be
Disambiguating
With a wooden leg and with a stick areboth prepositional expressionsBUT …… with a wooden leg is about the intruder
so it is attached to the noun with a stick is about how he hit the
intruder so it is attached to the verb
Romeo/Juliet loves Juliet/Romeo
Juliet loves Romeo Romeo Juliet
N N
NP
V
NP
S
VP
3. He loves carrots
He loves carrots
PRO N
NP
V
NP
S
VP
4. The lamb followed Mary
The lamb followed Mary
Det N
NP
V
NP
S
VP
N
6. The cat killed the mouse
The cat killed the mouse
Det N
NP
V
NP
S
VP
N Det
7. Jack killed the giant
Jack killed the giant
N
NP
V
NP
S
VP
N Det
8. She solved the mystery
She solved the mystery
N
NP
V
NP
S
VP
PRO Det
5. Beavers build dams
Beavers build dams
N
NP
V
NP
S
VP
N
9. The witnesses helped her
The witnesses helped her
PRO
NP
V
NP
S
VP
DET N
10. Alice followed the rabbit
Alice followed the rabbit
N
NP
V
NP
S
VP
N Det.
10. Alice followed the white rabbit
Alice followed the white rabbit
N
NP
V
NP
S
VP
N Det. A.
AP.
12. Alice slowly followed the white rabbit
Alice slowly followed the white rabbit
N
NP
V
NP
S
VP
N Det. A.
AP.
Asv
Adv.P
13. He gave her a kiss
He gave her a kiss
NP
PRO
NP
S
VP
PRODet. N.V
NP.
14. She rewarded him with a kiss
She rewarded him with a kiss
NP
PRO
S
VP
PRO P. Det.V N.
14. She rewarded him with a kiss
She rewarded him with a kiss
NP
PRO
NP
S
VP
PRO P. Det.V
NP.
N.
PP
14. She rewarded him with a kiss
She rewarded him with a kiss
NP
PRO
NP
S
VP
PRO P. Det.V
NP.
N.
PP
15. She paid the money to the cashier
She paid the money to the cashier
NP
Det.
S
VP
PRO P. Det.V N.N
15. She paid the money to the cashier
She paid the money to the cashier
NP
Det.
NP
S
VP
PRO P. Det.V
NP.
N.
PP
N
15. She paid the money to the cashier
She paid the money to the cashier
NP
Det.
NP
S
VP
PRO P. Det.V
NP.
N.
PP
N
16. The porter called George a taxi
The porter called George a taxi
NP
V.
S
VP
Det Det.N N.N
16. The porter called George a taxi
The porter called George a taxi
NP
V.
NP
S
VP
Det Det.N
NP.
N.N
16. The porter called George a taxi
The porter called George a taxi
NP
V.
NP
S
VP
Det Det.N
NP.
N.N
17. The medicine made her ill
The medicine made her ill
NP
V.
S
VP
DetA.N N
17. The medicine made her ill
The medicine made her ill
NP
V.
AP
S
VP
DetA.N
NP.
N
17. The medicine made her ill
The medicine made her ill
NP
V.
AP
S
VP
DetA.N
NP.
N
18. Those unhappy students failed the final exam
Those unhappy students failed the final exam
NP
V.
NP
S
VP
DetN.N
AP.
AA
AP
Det..
18. Those unhappy students failed the final exam
Those unhappy students failed the final exam
NP
V.
NP
S
VP
DetN.N
AP.
AA
AP
Det..
18. Those unhappy students failed the final exam
Those unhappy students failed the final exam
NP
V.
S
VP
DetN.N AA Det..
19. The dog bit the old man on the nose
The dog bit the old man on the nose
NP
A.
PP
S
VP
DetN.Det
NP.
DetN V P.N.
AP.
NP.
20. The woman on the bus told me the story of her life
The woman on the bus told me the story of her life
NP
N.
NP
S
VP
Det
PP.
Det
NP.
AN P N.Pro.
PP.
NP.
V. Det.. P N
NP.NP.
AP.
NP
21. He saw the girl in the green park
He saw the girl in the green park
P V N P Det A NDet
NPVP
S
NP
PP
NP
AP
22. He saw the girl in the green dress
He saw the girl in the green dress
P V N P Det A NDet
NPVP
S
NP
PP
NP
AP
NP
Disambiguation See slides 7 and 8 for the problem of
sentences like 21. and 22. which look the same on the surfac but have a different tree structure.
