文档介绍：Syntax 上外精品课程-《现代语言学》 Outline 4. 1 Definition 4. 2 Word-level categories 4. 3 Phrase categories 4. 4 Phrase structure rule 4. 5 Sentences (The S rule) 4. 6 Transformations 4. 7 Task 上外精品课程-《现代语言学》 Definition ?It’ s a kind of micro linguistics that studies how words bined to form sentences and the rules that govern the formation of sentences. (Transformational syntax to be introduced in the book.) Word-level categories ? Category refers to a group of linguistic items which fulfill the same or similar functions in a particular language. Traditionally, category is termed as “ parts of speech ”. 上外精品课程-《现代语言学》 Major lexical categories and minor lexical categories: Examples of some lexical categories Major lexical categories Examples Noun (N) Verb (V) Adjective (A) Preposition (P) book, boy, love, sheep run, read, play happy, tall, clear about, over, on Minor lexical categories Examples Determiner (Det) Degree word (Deg) Qualifier (Qual) Auxiliary (Aux) Conjunction (Con) the, a, this, those quite, very, more, so often, always, seldom, almost must, should, can, might and, but, or 上外精品课程-《现代语言学》 Tree criteria ? To Determine a word ’ s category, three criteria are usually played. ① Word category often bear some relationship with its meaning . ② Words of different categories take different inflections . ③ Distribution means a certain type of elements can co- occur with a certain word. Meaning: John, pen, book, pretty lady, left quietly Inflection: plural affixes, tenses, degrees Distribution: the girl, a card, should stay, will help 上外精品课程-《现代语言学》 Phrase categories ? Definition: A word or group of words written or spoken as a unit and separated by pauses or other junctures. ? Types : Noun phrase Eg: (NP): the pretty girl Verb phrase (VP): often dream Adjective phrase (AP): very pessimistic Prepositional phrase (PP): in the house Adve