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Phrase Structure Rules

Phrase Structure Rules. NP => (Det) (Adj) N (PP) PP => P NP. Phrase structure trees. NP NP NP NP N Det N Det Adj N Det N PP John the boy the smart boy the boy P NP in Det N

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Phrase Structure Rules

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  1. Phrase Structure Rules • NP => (Det) (Adj) N (PP) • PP => P NP

  2. Phrase structure trees NP NP NP NP N Det N Det Adj N Det N PP John the boy the smart boythe boy P NP in Det N the bubble

  3. 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)

  4. PP P NP from Det N PP a boy P NP in Det N a bubble

  5. VP => V (NP) (PP) (Adv) VP VP VP V V NP V NP PP Adv sang ate Det N sang Det N P NP badly the cake a song in Det N the shower

  6. S NP VP Det N V NP The dog ate Det N the bone S  NP VP

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

  8. Ambiguity • The property of having two or more meanings. • Lexical ambiguity • Structural ambiguity

  9. Lexical ambiguity Headlines: • PROSTITUTES APPEAL TO POPE • IRAQI HEAD SEEKS ARMS • CHILD’S STOOL IS GREAT FOR USE IN GARDEN • Lexical ambiguity: when a word has more than one meaning

  10. Structural ambiguity • “I once shot an elephant in my pajamas.” • “Tonight’s program will discuss sex with Dr. Ruth Westheimer.” • “We will not sell gasoline to anyone in a glass container.” • “This mixing bowl is designed to please any cook with a round bottom for efficient beating.”

  11. Structural ambiguity • Ambiguity resulting from the structure of the phrase or sentence e.g. [shot [an elephant] [in my pajamas]] [shot [an elephant in my pajamas]] e.g. [discuss [sex with Dr. Ruth Westheimer]] [discuss [sex] [with Dr. Ruth Westheimer]]

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

  13. Tests for Constituent structure • Substitution • Movement • Deletion • Coordination

  14. Substitution: NP • Substitute for NPs with pronouns (he, she, it, they, etc.) e.g., [Laura] will buy [the new Battlestar Galactica DVD] tomorrow. Rita will buy it Wednesday. She will buy ‘V’ for Vendetta Friday. NP[the new BSG DVD] NP[Laura]

  15. Substitution: VP • Substitute for VPs with do/done so e.g., Laura has eaten lots of Halloween candy. • Matt hasdone so too. • Sandy willdo so if we don’t stop her. AUX (has, will, etc.) is outside the VP constituent. S => NP Aux VP

  16. Substitution test • “The cow attacked the farmer with the axe.” • The cow attacked him. NP: [the farmer with the axe] • The cow attacked him with it. him: NP[the farmer] it: NP[the axe]

  17. Movement • Constituents can move to positions in the sentence other than where they would normally go • Obligatory: Question formation • Optional: Topicalization

  18. Word Order • English is an SVO language: Subject – Verb – Object Harry rides brooms. Ron makes jokes. Trevor eats flies.

  19. Obligatory Movement • Question formation: “Laura will drive her car on the weekend.” What will Laura drive (her car) on the weekend? When will Laura drive her car (on the weekend)?

  20. Optional Movement • Topicalization: optional movement used to emphasize something • I don’t like peas, but peanutsI like _____. • They didn’t think he could win the election, but win the election he did __________. O - S - V

  21. Movement test “The cow attacked the farmer with the axe.” Who did the cow attack _______________? Who did the cow attack__________ with the axe? the farmer with the axe the farmer

  22. Deletion • A constituent can be deleted from a phrase when there is an identical constituent in the discourse to supply its meaning

  23. Deletion test • “The cow attacked the farmer with the axe.” • The cow is attacking the farmer with the axe. • The horse is ______, too.

  24. Conjunctions • Words and phrases of the same category can be combined using conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or) NP  NP conj NP VP  VP conj VP S  S conj S Cats and dogs are furry. He will run and jump. You can run but you can’t hide.

  25. Conjoined phrases NP NP  NP Conj NP Conj NP NP NP  Det N N Det Det N the cat and the dog

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

  27. Ungrammatical coordination • Different categories cannot be conjoined Julia wrote a memo. Julia wrote to the dean. *Julia wrote [a memo] and [to the dean]. NP PP

  28. Coordination test Laura loves linguistics. Laura teaches enthusiastically. Laura loves linguistics and teaches enthusiastically. Conclusion: [loves linguistics] and [teaches enthusiastically] are the same kind of constituent: VP

  29. Coordination test • Reveals information about • whether a group of words is a constituent • what kind of constituent it is

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