1

Chapter 4 Syntax

The sentence patterns of languagePart I

2

Defining “syntax”

p.116the part of the grammar that represents a speaker’s knowledge of phrases and sentences and their structures

3

What the syntax rules do

pp. 116-1171. Specify the correct word order for a language2. Describe the relationship between the meaning

of a particular group of words and the way those words are arranged

3. Specify the grammatical relations of a sentence

4. Specify other constraints that sentences must adhere to

See examples on pp. 116-117.

4

grammatical relations

p. 117Relations such as subject object complement

5

The bases of speakers’ grammaticality judgments

p. 118 Grammaticality judgments are determined by the rules shared by the speakers of the language.

6

Hierarchical structures of sentences and structural ambiguity

pp. 118-1191. Sentences and phrases are not simply strings of words. They are hierarchically organized. The phrases “run up the hill” and “run up the bill” have different syntactic structures. 2. Words in phrases and sentences can be grouped (organized) in more than one way. Structural ambiguities are a result of different structures.

7

Example

p. 119

synthetic buffalo hides

8

Structure (a)

synthetic buffalo hides

synthetic buffalo hides

buffalo hides

Meaning (a): buffalo hides which are synthetic

9

Structure (b)

synthetic buffalo hides

synthetic buffalo hides

synthetic buffalo

Meaning (b): the hides of the synthetic buffalo

10

A contrast

p. 119Lexical ambiguity: ambiguity caused by the multiple interpretation of words Example: This will make you smart. “smart”: (a) clever (b) burning sensation ( 劇痛 )

11

The creative aspect of language

p. 123 The syntactic rules of a language permit speakers to produce and understand a limitless number of sentences never produced or heard before.

12

Conclusions of the section

p. 1191. The rules of syntax reveal (1) the grammatical relations among the words of a sentence, (2) their order and (3) their hierarchical organization.2. They explain how the grouping of words relate to their meaning.3. They permit their speakers to produce and understand a limitless number of sentences never produced or heard before – the creative

aspect of linguistic knowledge.