Syntax 2: The Syntax of Complex Sentences
Syntax 2: The Syntax of Complex Sentences
Syntax 2: The Syntax of Complex Sentences
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Bibliography:
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THE SENTENCE
Classification:
- simple
e.g. My drawing was not the picture of a hat.
She is talking about simple sentences.
This bread cuts easily.
- compound
e.g. After that they could not move, and they slept for six months.
The dog dropped the envelope in Sophie’s lap, but she didn’t notice it.
- complex
e.g. Once upon a time there was a little prince who lived on a planet that was scarcely any bigger
than himself, and had need of a sheep…
I did not understand why it was so important that sheep should eat little bushes.
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The Simple Sentence
a) Polarity:
- affirmative sentence
- negative sentence
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The Simple Sentence
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The Simple Sentence
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Sentence configuration:
IP
DP I’
I
Io VP
-ed
V’
Vo DO PP
see PO DP
him last night
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Sentence configuration:
XP
Spec. X’
s-selected Xo Complements
c-selected
s-selected
Objects
(lexical info given in the lexicon)
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COMPLEX SENTENCES
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The Complex Sentence
Coordination: joining sentences by means of
conjunctions:
- simple conjunctions: basic coordinative
conjunctions: and, but, or
- complex (correlative) coordinative
conjunctions: both … and; either … or; neither …
nor; not only … but also.
e.g. Both Peter left and Mary arrived.
Either Peter left or Mary arrived.
Neither Peter left nor Mary arrived.
Not only Peter left , but also Mary arrived.
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The Complex Sentence
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The Complex Sentence
1. functional criterion
2. structural criterion (internal structure)
3. type of licensing
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The Complex Sentence
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The Complex Sentence
It is sad [that the holiday is over.]
Subject Clause
I know [that the holiday is over.]
Direct Object Clause
I gave it to [whoever asked for it.]
Indirect Object Clause
He is interested in [my buying his car.]
Prepositional Object Clause
The idea [that the holiday is over] saddens me.
Relative Clause
He went into the shop [in order to buy some wine.]
Adverbial Clause of Purpose
[Even if he is my brother,] I’ll punish him.
Adverbial clause of concession
Go [wherever you like.]
Adverbial Clause of Place
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The Complex Sentence
subjects and objects are both arguments of a verb
verbs and objects have a head-complement relation (objects are
in the first projection, subjects are not)
– Object clauses have one privilege, not shared by subjects and
adjuncts – they are governed by the verb
Predicates are subcategorized for their ability to combine with
particular types of subordinate clauses
e.g. I enjoy [reading good books]
I enjoy [* that I read good books].
‘enjoy’ subcategorizes for a gerund
e.g. I believe [that she reads good books.]
*I believe [her reading good books.]
‘believe’ subcategorizes for a that-clause
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The Complex Sentence
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a) Complement clauses:
A complementizer: a C element which partly nominalizes a clause,
transforming it into an argument of the predicate
THAT-complements: finite complements (indicative or
subjunctive)
e.g. I know that he is here.
I wish that you should do it.
INFINITIVE-complements: non-finite complements (for-to
constructions)
e.g. I would like [for you to succeed.] – FOR-TO construction
I believe [him to be rich.] – Acc.+Inf. construction
I want [to do it.] – PRO -TO construction
-ING-complements: non-finite complements (gerunds, participles)
e.g. I enjoy teaching English. – Object Clause
I was surprised at [his not showing up at the party.]
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b) Wh-complements
introduced by relative or interrogative pronouns or adverbs
which are wh-phrases in the specifier position
There are a variety of possibilities:
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c) Adverbial subordination
It is not the main clause that governs the sub-clause, but the
conjunction (subordinate conjunction or subordinate conjunctive
phrases): before, after, while, although, because, even if, as
though
e.g. He went there although he was tired. – concessive
He went there because he was tired. – adv. of cause
He went there after he came back from the office. – adv. of time
- Subordinate conjunctions are meaningful elements – they assign a
θ- role to the clause which they introduce
- Problem: I haven’t been there before. – adverb
DP – He came here before lunch. – prep.
IP – He came here before he had lunch. – conj.
He came after Mary’s leaving. – prep.
He came after [Mary departed.] – conj. - IP
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The Complex Sentence
3. Type of Licensing:
It deals with the semantic integration of the subordinate within the
main clause
e.g. *I bought the book [whether he came.] –
- no way of integrating the subordinate clause into the
main clause
I bought the book [when he came.]
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Type of Licensing
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