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Phrase Structure and Recursion in Grammar

The document discusses key concepts in phrase structure rules and syntax, including constituents, recursion, and conjunction. It provides examples of phrase structure rules for noun phrases (NP), prepositional phrases (PP), and verb phrases (VP). These rules use recursion to describe how phrases can be embedded within other phrases. The document also discusses structural ambiguity and how sentences are formed from an NP and VP using conjunction to join similar categories.

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Shah Nawaz
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565 views20 pages

Phrase Structure and Recursion in Grammar

The document discusses key concepts in phrase structure rules and syntax, including constituents, recursion, and conjunction. It provides examples of phrase structure rules for noun phrases (NP), prepositional phrases (PP), and verb phrases (VP). These rules use recursion to describe how phrases can be embedded within other phrases. The document also discusses structural ambiguity and how sentences are formed from an NP and VP using conjunction to join similar categories.

Uploaded by

Shah Nawaz
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Today

Phrase structure rules, trees Constituents Recursion Conjunction

Readings: 6.4 6.5

Phrase structure (review)


1) Every word belongs to a lexical category 2) Lexical categories forms heads of phrases 3) How phrases are formed is governed by rules (= phrase structure rules)

Phrase structure rules

Rules that determine


what goes into a phrase (constituents) how the constituents are ordered

Constituent: a word or group of words that function as a unit and can make up larger grammatical units

Phrase structure rules

General schema: XY Z X consists of Y followed by Z

Phrase structure rules


Noun phrase (NP) John the boy a little boy a boy in a bubble N Det N Det Adj N Det N PP

Phrase structure rule for NPs: NP (Det) (Adj) N (PP)


(where () indicates optionality)

Phrase structure trees


NP N John NP Det the N boy NP Det Adj N a
little boy

NP Det N
a boy P in

PP
NP Det N

a bubble

Prepositional phrase (PP)


in from a boy in a bubble

P P NP

Phrase structure rule for PPs: PP P (NP)

Phrase structure trees


PP P in P from PP NP Det N
a boy P in

PP
NP Det N

a bubble

Recursion

Some phrasal categories may appear to the left or right of the arrow NP (Det) N (PP) PP P (NP) Recursion: the property of language that allows for the embedding of categories (which can yield infinitely long phrases)

NP Det N the cat P

the cat on the mat in the house on the street


PP NP N PP NP N P on PP NP Det the N street

on Det

the mat P in Det

the house

Verb phrase (VP)


sang ate the cake ate the cake hungrily sang a song in the shower fell into the pond slowly

V V NP V NP Adv V NP PP V PP Adv

Phrase structure rule for VPs: VP V (NP) (PP) (Adv)

VP V sang V

VP NP Det
the

VP V N
cake sang

NP
Det N P

PP
NP

Adv
badly in Det N

ate

a song

the shower

Structural ambiguity
discuss [sex with Dr. Ruth] [discuss sex] with Dr. Ruth

Structural ambiguity
discuss [sex with Dr. Ruth] VP V discuss N sex NP PP P NP [discuss sex] with Dr. Ruth VP V NP PP NP

discuss sex P

with Dr. Ruth

with Dr. Ruth

Sentences

Must contain an NP and a VP


The dog barked. *The dog. *Barked.

May contain an auxiliary verb


The dog will bark.

S NP (Aux) VP

S NP Det The N dog V ate Det the S NP VP VP NP N bone

S NP Det The N dog Aux will V eat VP NP Det the S NP Aux VP N bone

Conjunction

Words and phrases of the same category can be combined using conjunctions (and, but, or)

Cats and dogs make good pets. Eat, drink, or be merry. You can lead a horse to water but you cant make him drink. NP NP conj NP VP VP conj VP S S conj S

X X conj X

Conjoined phrases
NP NP Det N the cat and Conj NP NP Conj NP NP Det N the dog NP Det N

Conjoined sentences
I bought a book, but I returned it. S S NP I V VP NP conj but NP I V returned S S S conj S S NP VP VP NP it

bought a book

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