Morphology and Syntax Phrase structure Phrases must

Morphology and Syntax Phrase structure

Phrases must have a head [NP Intelligent cats with long tails] are lovely. [NP Cats] are lovely *[NP Intelligent with long tails] are lovely. Sue is [AP very ill indeed]. Sue is [AP ill]. *Sue is [AP very indeed]. The water went [PP down the drainpipe]. The water went [PP down]. *The water went [PP the drainpipe].

Complements S: John will never read a book but Bill will frequently do so. *John will never read a book and Bill will do so a paper. Read a book John will never do. *Never read John will do a book. Conclusion: read a book is a constituent of S never read is not a constituent of S

Specifiers John will [never read a book]. The cinema [reluctantly refunded the tickets]. The firm has [in her absence adopted a new policy].

The structure of VPs VP specifier never V’ (“ V bar”) V read complement a book

Complements to verbs are not always NPs Betty went [PP to Mali]. Kate asked [S if Lenny had listened to that cd].

Heads select the type of complement Kate asked [S if it was time to go]. Kate asked [NP the time]. Kate wondered [S if it was time to go]. *Kate wondered [NP the time].

The structure of NPs Nouns can also combine with complements and specifiers. quick inspections of the patients and slow ones *quick inspections of the patients and ones of the hospital

NP specifier the quick N’ N inspection PP P of NP specifier N the patient

Complements to nouns In Modern English, complements to nouns usually are PPs: an inspection of the patients *an inspection the patients Sentences can appear as complement to a noun as well: [NP the hypothesis [S that the moon is made of green cheese]] [NP the question [S whether JFK was the victim of a plot]]

Recursion A phrase can contain another phrase of exactly the same type as the containing phrase. [NP an inspection [PP of [NP the patients [PP with [NP red pyjamas]]]]]

Recursion of sentences [S John regrets [S that Mary believes these rumours]] John regrets [that Mary believes [that Harry has said [that the paper reported [that…

Complements in APs They are [AP proud of their daughter]. They are [AP mad about dogs]. They are [AP fond of their daughter]. *They are [AP fond].

Specifiers in APs That shirt is [AP too red to go in the washing machine with the white shirt]. In winter the city is [AP very cold]. Sam is [AP rather fond of dogs].

Complements in PPs This will last [PP until Doomsday]. *This will last [PP until]. a piece [PP of cake] *a piece [PP of] We’ll go on [PP from here]. *We’ll go on [PP from].

PPs without a complement I’ve never met him [PP before today]. I’ve never met him [PP before]. The paint came [PP off the wall]. The paint came [PP off]. They went [PP down the hill]. They went [PP down].

Complements in PPs are not always NPs [PP After [S they went to America]] they started a new trade. We have had no rest [PP since [S our new neighbours started a pub]]. [PP From [PP under the bridge]] came a herd of strange creatures. This play lasts [PP until [PP after midnight]].

Specifiers in PPs They went [PP all the way down the mine shaft]. They found it [PP ten meters under the ground].

The “X bar” schema for phrase structure XP specifier(s) X’ X complement(s)

What about sentences? S NP VP Do sentences not have a head?

Language variation in the ordering of heads, complements and specifiers put meat in the pot béle-bi-ò náma tua pot-the-in meat put stay in the house with him u-momó wári-bi-ò tími him-with house-the-in stay

these three big books *these big three books *three big these books *three these big books *big these three books *big three these books nangseuu jaj saam lem nii book big three classifier this ‘these three big books’

Universals Languages in which V precedes its complement tend to have prepositions, so P precedes its complement as well. Languages in which V follows its complement tend to have postpositions, so P follows its complement as well.

Ze zwommen [in het kanaal]. Ze zwommen [het kanaal in]. they swam in the canal they swam the canal in ‘They were swimming in the canal. ’ ‘They swam into the canal. ’ une nouvelle maison a new house ‘a new house’ un livre noir a book black ‘a black book’