BBN-ANG-251 Syntax
Autumn Term, 2012/2013
COURSE CONTENT
1
The Basics of Syntactic Theory
1.1 Recapitulation: revision of basic notions introduced in the lecture course
Foundations of Syntax (Spring Term, 2011/2012), e.g syntactic categories,
heads and modifiers, argument structure, subcategorisation frames,
grammatical functions, clause types
1.2 Basic structural notions, terminology and grammatical functions revisited
[Newson et al. Chapter 2: 1 Structure – 3 Testing for Structure]
1.3 Constituent tests
[Newson et al. Chapter 2: 3 Testing for structure]
1.4 X-bar Theory: heads, complements, adjuncts, specifiers
[Newson et al. Chapter 3: 1 X-bar Theory]
1.5 Movement and related notions
[Newson et al. Chapter 3: 2 Theoretical Aspects of Movement]
2
Phrase Structure
2.1 The Determiner Phrase I.
[Newson et al. Chapter 4: 1 Why the noun is not the head of the DP – 3
Multiple Determiners]
2.2 The Determiner Phrase II. and The Noun Phrase
[Newson et al. Chapter 4: 3 Multiple Determiners; Radford Chapter 4: Noun
Phrases]
2.3 The Verb Phrase I.
[Newson et al. Chapter 5: 1 Event structure and aspect – 2.4 Transitive verbs]
2.4 The Verb Phrase II.
[Newson et al. Chapter 5: 2.4 Transitive verbs – 2.7 Phrasal verbs]
2.5 The Verb Phrase III.
[Newson et al. Chapter 5: 2.7 Phrasal verbs – 3 Aspectual auxiliary verbs]
SET TEXTS
 Newson, M. et al. 2006. Basic English Syntax with Exercises. Bölcsész Konzorcium,
ELTE, Chapters 2 – 5
 Radford, A. 1990. Transformational Grammar: A First Course. CUP.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
 Greenbaum, S. and Quirk, R. 1990. A Student’s Grammar of the English Language.
Longman
 Miller, J. 2001. An Introduction to English Syntax. Edinburgh University Press
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BBN-ANG-251 Syntax
Autumn Term, 2012/2013
1 Recapitulation: revision of basic notions
1.1 Basic categories and the categorical features [+/-N], [+/-V], [+/-F]
thematic categories ([-F])
functional categories ([+F])
nouns (N)
determiners (D)
verbs (V)
inflection (I)
adjectives and adverbs (A)
degree words (Deg)
prepositions (P)
complementisers (C)
N: [-F, +N, -V]
D: [+F, +N, -V]
V: [-F, -N, +V]
I: [+F, -N, +V]
A: [-F, +N, +V]
Deg: [+F, +N, +V]
P: [-F, -N, -V]
C: [+F, -N, -V]
(i)
[+N] categories: nouns and adjectives
(ii)
[+V] categories: verbs and adjectives
(iii)
[-N] categories: verbs and prepositions
(iv)
[-V] categories: nouns and prepositions
Underspecified Categories
(i)
measure (group) nouns:
20 a a bottle of wine
b a picture of Mary
(ii)
aspectual auxiliaries
21 a should have tolerated more
b to have tolerated more
(iii)
post-determiners
22 a his / the few friends
b *his friends are less
(iv)
non-thematic, non-functional prepositions: passive by and the possessive
marker of
1.2 Theta-roles and theta-grids
Agent: the participant who deliberately initiates the action denoted by the verb
(usually animate).
Theme: an affected participant (animate or inanimate) undergoing the action or
moved by the action.
Experiencer: the participant (animate or inanimate) that experiences some
(emotional, psychological) state.
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BBN-ANG-251 Syntax
Autumn Term, 2012/2013
Beneficiary/benefactive: the participant that gains by the action denoted by the
verb.
Goal: the participant towards which the activity is directed.
Location: a place where the action or state denoted by the verb is situated.
1.3 Subcategorisation
The argument that precedes the matrix verb is the subject. The argument(s) that follow
the matrix verb is (are) complements. A verb chooses (selects) what category the
complement should be and it also selects how many it takes. Subcategorisation frame:
contains the number and type (category) of complements.
1.4 Grammatical functions
subject, predicate, object (direct, indirect), adverbial [complement: subject, object]
1.5 Clause types
(i)
matrix declaratives: Peter loves Mary.
(ii)
matrix interrogatives:
•
yes-no: Does Peter love Mary?
•
wh: Who does Peter love?
Matrix clauses are by definition finite.
(iii)
finite embedded declaratives: Frank knows [that Peter loves Mary].
(iv)
finite embedded interrogatives:
(v)
•
yes-no: They wondered [if/whether Peter loves Mary].
•
wh: They wondered [who Peter loves].
non-finite embedded declaratives: They would have preferred [for him to
leave].
(vi)
non-finite embedded interrogatives:
•
yes-no: They wondered [whether to leave].
•
wh: They wondered [what to do].
Small Clauses: They considered [him innocent].
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